Robin's Diary (part three)
by Secret52
Summary: WARNING: This story was written by my friend, Haruka. This story contains crossovers, spankings, slash, swearing, and other things that some of ya'll may not like. If you are one of these people then please DO NOT read. This is the last part.
1. Chapter 101

Note: The following wasn't written as a fic, but rather as (edited) excerpts from a spanking fanfiction RPG in which I play Robin (you know, the Boy Wonder ;) at 13 years old, plus characters from X-Men Evolution, TMNT, the Mighty Ducks, Static Shock and more. The RPG has two mailing lists where the kid characters exchange messages on one and their adult counterparts on another – these are posts mainly from the kids' list that Robin runs. Spanking stories are the MAIN focus of the RPG so do NOT read further if you know you don't enjoy spanking in fics! There are also same-sex relationships here, so be warned! Characters in the RPG are NOT necessarily canon, so please don't bother correcting me on facts. If you are interested in joining the RPG as a player or lurker/reader, write me privately.

Robin's Diary - Part 101

By Haruka

Virgil's break-up with Hot Streak is causing him more trouble than the relationship did:

I think I bit off more than I could chew when I got involved with Hot Streak, and now it's biting me back.

I've been avoiding him as much as I could, both as Virgil and as Static. It wasn't too hard to do that at Dakota Union High, because he still didn't know I was Static; I was just a kid he used to beat up on. When I was on patrol, it was a different story.

Hot Streak has been following Static everywhere since the incident with Impulse at the CD store. And let's face it – as Static, I'm hard to miss. I'm usually seen flying high over the city on my Mylar disk, and Hot Streak can fly, too. So he'd tail me.

Anytime I wasn't actually fighting bad guys, he'd be trying to convince me to give him another chance. I tried to tell him it wasn't a good idea for a lot of reason, some of which I couldn't even tell him that had to do with my homelife – but he wouldn't listen. He just kept dogging me. I tried harder to avoid him.

Last night, Gear and I had just finished up 'work' and had split up to go to our respective homes. I was flying along when I was suddenly surrounded by a black cloud. I dropped altitude to sail under it and landed on top of a building.

There was a girl there – our friend, Nightingale. She's one of the Nightbreed – a group of Metahumans who, when the Big Bang happened, ended up being unable to live in the sunlight anymore. They're condemned to staying underground, or anyplace dark, until the sun goes down. Otherwise, they could die. Gear and I have had a lot of help from Nightingale and her friends, Brickhouse, Fade, and Tech, and it looked like she was there to offer me some more personal help.

She warned me that Hot Streak had been pestering and/or bullying Bang Babies all over town, trying to find out if any of them knew my real identity! This scared the you-know-what out of me! What would he have done if he found out – come to confront me at my HOUSE?! The thought of my Pops opening the door to find Hot Streak there, well, let's just say I had visions of being grounded for the next million years. There would be fossils uncovered at that time that showed an impression of me still sitting on my bed, frozen for all eternity, cobwebs hanging off me.

Nightingale's news meant that I had to delay going home so I could track down Hot Streak and tell him to stop this. It took forty-five minutes, but I finally found him in a dingy pool hall, interrogating Puff (a pretty, but scary Metahuman – her breath can melt things like acid or knock you out cold.)

When Hot Streak saw me he came right over and demanded to know why I'd been avoiding him. I told him we'd BEEN through all that, and why couldn't he just respect my wishes and stop stalking me?! But that's the problem with stalkers – to them, their actions are logical and it's the one they've targeted who is misguided and would understand if only they'd listen to reason. Hot Streak was proving himself to be a classic case already.

Finally, I told him that there was no point in arguing about it any longer, and I had to go (I wasn't getting anywhere with him, anyway.) I took off into the sky, and he started following me.

I wish I didn't have to do it, but I needed to get home, and I sure couldn't lead him there. So I used my power to break off a street sign and wound it around his whole body, leaving him laying on the sidewalk. I knew he could raise his body heat to a point where he would eventually break through the metal, but it would take a while, and in the meantime, I had a chance to get home and get my ears blasted by Pops (naturally, I had already stowed the costume and couldn't tell him why I was late.)

I don't know what's going to happen now, but I'm scared. If Hot Streak is this determined to get me back as his boyfriend, he may not stop at anything. And if he finds out my real identity in the interim – hoo boy! I don't even want to BEGIN thinking about the ramifications should that happen!

Virgil

End of Part 101

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	2. Chapter 102

Robin's Diary - Part 102

By Haruka

There are a couple of cases that Batman and I have been focusing on lately, one of which involved a mafia stakeout that's been going on for days, but looked about to break open. Another one was the kidnapping of a Gotham City public official. Last night, we figured out a clue in the kidnapping and Batman decided he was going to follow it, but didn't want me to go along because it entailed going into a nasty bar down by the docks (I couldn't go into the bar, and he wasn't about to leave me outside alone in that part of town.) I understood that, so I said I'd pick up the mafia stakeout instead. Well, that idea was met by a flat 'No.'

"Why not?" I asked, puzzled.

Batman looked at me seriously. "This is the MAFIA, Robin. I'm not sending a thirteen-year-old, even one with your abilities, into the thick of that alone."

"But Batman, they won't see me - I'll just be watching, and if -"

"No."

"Wait, listen, I know I can -"

"No."

I put my hands on my hips. "You're not listening to me!"

"And YOU'RE not listening to me. What part of 'no' don't you understand?"

"The part where you SAID it!"

He took a step closer and looked straight down at me. "Robin, you are confined to the Batcave tonight. You may do research, you may work in the simulator, you may study the newest additions to the rogues' gallery and cross-reference them, but you may NOT leave except to become Dick Grayson again. That's an order."

"Hey, you two."

We both looked over to see Kal watching us from outside the elevator. He walked over, studying us with concern. "Alfred said I could come down. Is everything all right?"

"Everything is fine," Batman answered, not taking his eyes off mine. "In fact, you can do me a favour, Kal."

"Sure," he said.

"Babysit Robin for me while I check out a lead on a case."

"Batman!" I yelled indignantly. He looked at me sharply.

"What?" he asked in a dangerous tone.

"Nothing," I muttered. He nodded with satisfaction and turned away. I was so frustrated! I wanted to put my pixie boot up his ... well, you know what.

"We were working on a stakeout involving the Mafia," Batman was explaining to Kal, "and Robin wants to go back there alone while I'm following this lead on another case, but I'm sure you understand why I don't want him doing that."

"Absolutely!" Kal said and looked around Batman to give me a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, Robin, but Batman is right. The Mafia is too big for you to take on alone."

"I guess we'll never know, will we?" I groused.

Batman glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. "There he is, the poster child for Petulant Boy Wonders."

Okay, so I had been standing with my arms folded and my lower lip protruding in a classic pout. That's no reason to make fun of me. I turned my back on him.

I heard some murmuring between them, then noises that were probably the two of them kissing goodbye (yuck), then Batman got into the Batmobile and left.

Kal put an arm around my stiff shoulders and gave me a little squeeze. "I know you're disappointed, but he really does know what's best for you. He just wants you to be safe."

"We're SUPPOSED to be partners," I grumbled. "But he treats me like a kid!"

Kal tactfully didn't respond to that. "Are you coming up or staying down here? Batman said you could stick around and do research or whatever."

I sighed. "I guess I'll stay here for a while. I'll come up in about half an hour."

"All right." He mussed my hair affectionately. "I'll tell Alfred and he can get a snack ready for us to have then."

He went back into the elevator and I sat down at the Batcomputer, feeling dejected and abandoned by my so-called partner.

I swear that when I said it, I meant it. I was just going to do a quick check in on our bug in the warehouse where the Mafia guys had been storing their stash in preparation for selling it. But when I listened, what I heard was the boss man telling his stooges that the heat was getting too close and they were going to change locations that night.

I had no choice. This kind of thing wasn't Superman's scene and Gotham wasn't his city. And this was OUR case.

Besides, if I asked him, he might say no.

Within minutes, I was on the Redbird and speeding down the road leading into the heart of the city.

I wasn't stupid – Batman was right about me taking on the Mafia alone, and I wasn't about to try it. All I did was watch them pack up their stuff and load it into a pair of trucks. I waited for an opportunity, then got ready to slip down and plant Battrackers under the trucks so we could find them at their destination later.

That's when someone grabbed the collar of my cape and hoisted me off my feet. My heart froze until I recognized the red boots.

"Robin, you and I need to _talk_."

"Superman," I gasped, struggling to free myself. "They'll see us! Get down!"

"It doesn't matter; we're not staying." His strong arm wrapped around my middle and next thing I knew we were airborne.

"No!" I cried. "I need to plant a tracker on –"

"FORGET it, Robin!" he snapped and I did a double-take. I'd never heard Superman take that tone with anyone before, but I have a feeling that Superboy might have.

"How could you do that?!" He asked as we flew in the direction of home. "How could you lie to my face like that?!"

"I _didn't_ lie, Kal, really!" I said. "I really meant to stay in the cave, but those guys said they were moving operations and I had to at least plant a tracker on them –"

"What you had to do, young man, was exactly what Batman told you! When he finds out about this, he is going to skin you alive!"

"Does he HAVE to find out?" I asked plaintively.

There were a couple of moments' silence and I wondered if he heard me. Then he said, "No, this is between you and me."

Once we got back to the Batcave, Superman put me on my feet and stood in front of me, arms folded across his massive chest. "You were placed in my care, Robin, and since you deliberately disobeyed Batman _while_ in my care, I'm going to deal with this as I see fit."

He took me by the arm and walked over to the chair I'd been sitting in earlier, in front of the Batcomputer. He seated himself on it, then lifted me into a horizontal position over his knees. I felt him brush my cape aside and pull down my shorts.

Oh MAN, I thought. He's not even my 'stepmother' yet and already he's seen my bare butt on his lap! I was embarrassed beyond belief.

"I'm only sorry I don't have my hairbrush," he said, and I said a silent prayer of thanks that he _didn't_ (I still remembered Beast Boy's stories of that Instrument of Torture ™, otherwise known as the black onyx brush.) "I guess my hand will have to do," he concluded, then let me have it with a resounding *WHAP!*.

Kal may not be as experienced a spanker as Bruce, but he's got the basics down well enough by now. He controlled his superstrength, but still managed to deliver whack after stinging whack to my rapidly-reddening bottom. The sound of each smack echoed throughout the Batcave (sending the bats overheard skittering away) and before long the sound of my own groans, gasps, whimpers, sniffles, and finally sobs joined in. I didn't count how many times he hit me – I can only hope HE did – but I know that I was squirming and bucking and kicking as we neared the blessed end of it all, and he was having to hold firmly onto me lest I fell off his knees.

My head was hanging, tears dripping off my chin, when he finally pulled up my shorts (ow, ow, OW!) and helped me to my feet. I was still shaking with sobs and my breath was hitching – I didn't look at him. He put his hands on my shoulders.

"I'm sorry I had to do that, Robin, but you didn't give me a choice," he said gently. "Batman loves you with all his heart, and I love you, too. Neither of us want you to get yourself killed out there." He knelt, so that he was looking up at me and I couldn't avoid his earnest gaze. "Yes, we know you're capable of taking care of yourself, but at this stage of your life, you have to trust us to know your limitations even when you don't."

As frustrating as being grounded had been, I knew I couldn't really be angry with either Batman or Superman for not wanting me to get dead. Batman usually _did_ know best – I just lost sight of that behind my childish stubborn streak. I fought to stop crying so that I could speak coherently. Wiping my eyes with my cape, I looked at him uncertainly. "Is this really going to be just between us?"

He smiled and pulled my head down with one hand, kissing my forehead. "Yes. I'll go get the Redbird and bring it back. Batman won't have to know a thing."

"Kal," I said softly, "I'm sorry."

He pulled me into his arms and I wrapped mine around his neck. His hair smelled good, and his embrace was comforting.

He kept his word and didn't tell Bruce, and I did my best not to show any signs that I'd been spanked. Since we're talking about the World's Greatest Detective, though, I figure he probably knows, but has decided to let Kal and I have our secret.

Oh, and when Superman went to retrieve the Redbird, he did a little extra scouting by air first and followed the Mafia trucks to their new location, so Batman and I can pick up where we left off. (Thanks, Kal. For everything.)

Robin

End of Part 102

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	3. Chapter 103

Robin's Diary - Part 103

By Haruka

I feel like I somehow owe Kurt and Bart an apology for this next incident they describe, even though I didn't know anything about it until I read this:

Kurt: Guten abend, everyone. Bart just ran over here so he and I could post this together because neither of us wanted to take responsibility for it alone.

Bart: That's because it was Kurt's fault.

K: It was NOT my fault. We BOTH did it! Anyway, it started this morning when Batman (he was acting Principal today because both Mother and Father were in meetings) announced at assembly that no one was allowed to go into the west wing of the school because they were renovating it to add something special. It was strictly off-limits until further notice. As you can imagine, this made a lot of us kids VERY curious.

B: Including me! When assembly was over I zwipped up to Batman and asked him what the 'something special' was. He said if he wanted us to know, he would have told us. I asked if it would be okay if I just vibrated in to take a quick peek. He said no.

K: I was beside Impulse by then and asked Batman if I could teleport in. He said no. Then he added that he was serious about this and anyone who disobeyed him would be paddled.

B: We both shut up and went to our separate classes. But I couldn't get my mind off the new section. I wondered if it was something that would benefit a speedster. Was it fun? Or was it strictly *yawn* educational?

K: I was having the same thoughts as Impulse (except for the speedster part.) I was kind of hoping for a bigger student lounge with a huge stereo system so we could dance.

B: When lunch came, I decided that a quick look wouldn't hurt. Batman was eating at the Teachers' Table (I checked) and with my speed, I'd be in and out before anyone knew. So I sped off to the west wing.

K: And nearly ran into ME. I was just outside the cordoned-off area, debating whether or not to teleport in, when Impulse 'appeared' next to me and scared me half to death (btw, that's supposed to be MY job.)

"Hey Impulse," I greeted nervously, "um, what are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd go in there." Impulse pointed. "But just for a quick peek."

"Same here," I admitted.

B: Then Nightcrawler went on to say, "And you'd better not back out or I'll tell on you."

K: Bart, I did not! What happened next was YOU grinning at me and saying "Race you!" and we both disappeared behind the door in an instant.

B: I guess it _could_ have happened that way. Anyhow, we were in! And you know what the big surprise was? Neither do we, because all we saw were drop-cloths covering everything! I sped over to one big covered object and was gonna vibrate my head in to see what it was when Batman's voice came over the intercom:

"Impulse and Nightcrawler report to my office. Now."

K: At least when Mother summons someone, she asks them to come and says 'please' – obviously that's not Batman's style. Impulse and I looked at each other in panic, then Impulse waved his arms around in frustration.

"We didn't even get to SEE anything yet!" he complained.

"I think when Batman says 'now,' he means 'now.' I'm going," I told him, and teleported away.

B: Not wanting to be the one who kept Batman waiting, I zwipped up there and arrived beside Nightcrawler just as his teleportational smoke was dissipating. Neither of us had opened the door to get in there.

K: Batman was sitting behind his desk. "What took you so long?" he asked dryly.

"You said, 'Now,'" we both replied.

"I said something else, too," he reminded us. "Right after the assembly."

Impulse and I exchanged a look. We both knew what he meant, but neither of us were going to say it out loud.

We didn't have to – Batman spelled it out. "I told you that anyone who disobeyed me about going into the restricted section would be paddled."

Then Impulse did something stupid.

B: It wasn't stupid! He might have been bluffing! All I did was ask what made him think we had disobeyed him. He's not psychic and he was nowhere near the west wing.

K: And Batman stood up and walked around his desk. He stopped in front of Impulse and said in a voice that scared me even though I wasn't the one he was talking to, "Are you saying you didn't?"

Impulse didn't answer him right away, but he started to look nervous.

B: I WAS nervous! Grife, BATMAN was glaring at me! I guess I sort of backed down and stammered that I wasn't exactly saying _that_, I was just curious ….

*Sigh* That's when he showed us the security camera feed.

K: Ja, there are security cameras in the west wing that we didn't know about. Batman rewound the tape that clearly showed the two of us inside the restricted area. We were busted for sure.

"Impulse, sit down," Batman said, and went back to the desk. He removed a wooden paddle from the drawer and I gulped. My mother has one like it at home.

And if Impulse was supposed to sit, guess whose butt that left vulnerable?

"Nightcrawler, bare your backside and bend over the desk."

B: I knew why Batman was making Nightcrawler go first – he knows how much I HATE waiting. But where THIS situation was concerned, I'd make an exception and wait all night if he'd let me!

I saw Nightcrawler face the desk and strip down to the bare, uh, fur (it was funny watching him thread his tail through the hole in his uniform.) Then he leaned over the desk and Batman told him to grab hold of the other edge. He had to go up on his two toes, and THAT made his bottom stick way up in the air, which also made his tail rise. Batman deliberately took the tail and moved it aside. "Keep it there," he said, and Nightcrawler grabbed it to make sure. I think the last thing he wanted was to hit Batman in the face with it!

K: No kidding! But oh, it was embarrassing being in that position, especially knowing that Impulse was there watching the whole thing. Plus, I'll admit, I was scared. Batman _scares_ me! I guess he scares almost everyone except Robin. And speaking of Robin, I couldn't help thinking about the spankings he's described and how bad they can be. I could only remember thinking how glad I was that Batman wasn't taking me over his knee and that he still had Impulse to deal with, so maybe he wouldn't spend half an hour arranging me. Well, it might not have been THAT long, but he did put his gloved hands on my hips and shift me into a position more to his liking. I guess I was already starting to cry by then, just from nerves –

B: You _guess_?! Kurt, you were blubbering all over the place and begging him not to do it!

K: I was not!

B: Were too!

K: Not!

B: TOO!

K: Okay, okay! Everyone here knows I'm a noisy spanking recipient, so it shouldn't be any big surprise that I was falling apart already. It didn't make any difference anyhow – he still started paddling me. He had perfect aim, swinging it in such a way that I was forced even further up onto my toes and I had to fight to keep hold of my tail (it wanted to try and shield my bottom so BADLY!) I cried out with every whack of the paddle and before long I was shifting from foot to foot and practically crawling across the desk wanting to get away from it (although I always had one foot on the floor.) I sobbed and begged but Batman had his own agenda, as I'm sure he always does, and ignored my distress until he was good and ready to stop. Then he told me go sit on the couch and summoned Impulse over.

B: It took Nightcrawler a couple of minutes to get himself together enough to move away from the desk. First of all, he had to dress (one-piece bodysuits aren't good for situations like this) and then he had to find his way to the couch through his tears. I noticed that he didn't sit – he crawled up onto the cushion and kind of perched there, his tail curled around him while he cried into his arms (which he'd folded on the top of the couch.) That's when Batman snapped, "IMPULSE!" and I sort of jolted in place – I don't think I'd ever heard him raise his voice before, so I guess my dallying was getting on his nerves. I went over and he told me to bare my backside, same as he'd told Nightcrawler. And like him, I had a one-piece bodysuit to peel my way out of. I took more time with that than I really needed to, and Batman knew it.

"Five," he said deliberately, "four … three … two …."

I didn't let him get to one. I 'assumed the position' over the desk. I had to go up on my toes, too, and it not only wasn't very comfortable, I felt about as exposed as a person could get. I decided I didn't like it.

Then the paddle met my backside with a resounding CRACK, and I liked it even less!

Like I've said before, my accelerated system makes me heal rapidly, so that right after the initial blow, the pain starts to dissipate. But before you all start hating me for it, just let me remind you that the initial blow is the worst, and I _DO_ feel that! Batman didn't bother moving the paddle around to different spots as he spanked me – he just spanked me over and over in the exact same spot until I was starting to get a little freaky about it, almost like I COULD feel the pain linger, or at least anticipate the next blows before they came. I wasn't crying, but I think I yelled a couple of times.

K: (insert sarcastic tone here) You think?! You yelled EVERY time. And by the end you were even starting to beg like me!

B: Well, that's because it was like the Chinese Water Torture having those blows always land in the same spot! I couldn't take it anymore, and even if my backside wasn't hurting steadily, it was almost like it _was_.

K: That doesn't make sense!

B: Hey, I'm not a shrink, sue me. I'm just telling it like it was.

K: ANYWAY, when Batman finished paddling Impulse and told him to dress, Impulse sure got his uniform on a lot faster than he'd taken it off! And his face was wet.

B: Was not.

K: Was t—oh, forget it. Batman told him to sit beside me, then he stood over both of us and started The Lecture. The one like Robin is probably familiar with. He talked about how important it was that we obey our instructors because we knew best, and what if there had been something in the west wing that might have hurt us? He said that –

B: Oh Kurt, stop! I already HEARD the lecture, okay? Let's not re-live it! To make a VERY long story shorter, Batman pulled a Max and yacked non-stop for way too long about some boring stuff no one wants to hear about. He also made us both recite why we had been punished and why we would never do anything like that again – you know the routine, Robin's described it often enough. He concluded by saying that if we ever deliberately disobeyed him again, next time our paddling would take place on stage at assembly as an example to the whole school. (I still don't think he was serious about that one.)

K: I don't want to find out! He let us go just in time for the bell to ring (we had missed ALL of lunch) and informed us that he would be telling our parents. As if mine wouldn't have found out, anyway!

B: Max might not have, but I know Batman well enough to believe that even if he had to send up a Max Signal in the sky to get his attention, he'd find a way to tell him.

K: Then we left to go back to class, and I don't mind telling you that I was rather resentful that Impulse had already stopped hurting while _I_ had to perch on all my chairs that afternoon!

B: Don't be TOO mad. Even if the pain was physically gone, I swear I still felt a throb in that one concentrated spot on my butt over and over and over for hours. I still feel it NOW.

K: You'll be feeling it for real if you don't get home – you're way late for both your bedtime and curfew.

B: (insert eye-roll here) Yes, _Max_. I'm on my way! Bart out!

K: And he's gone, just like that. And so am I – I'm late for bed myself. I'm heading there still nursing a sore bottom (I hope that psychological throbbing lasts the little Tazmanian Devil all night, too, or there's no justice in the world!)

End of Part 103

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	4. Chapter 104

Robin's Diary - Part 104

By Haruka

Bruce gave me this post Logan wrote on the adults' list:

Have any of you ever known a kid that was exactly like you, only he _wasn't_ yours? That's what's been going on with me at Hero High. One of my students in Fighting Techniques class is so much like me that we started clashing.

This kid has attitude. He didn't like listening to instructions or talk about safety precautions or holding back. When we were working in the school simulator, he wanted to get in there and FIGHT. I can't tell you how many times I had to haul his butt back from programming a tougher sequence than he was ready for. That went double anytime we put him up against one of his classmates. Oh, he wouldn't go around picking on other kids and starting fights, but once he and an opponent were facing each other, he wouldn't back off until ordered to. Unfortunately, where I was concerned, he just didn't back off, period.

Who am I talking about? Splinter's son, Raphael.

We were in the middle of learning the subtleties of faking out your opponent, something that takes a little patience, of which Raphael has zero. At first I thought maybe the stuff we were going over went against Splinter's Bushido teachings somehow (although I was pretty sure it didn't – Splinter had approved the curriculum at the beginning of the semester) so I asked Turtle Boy what the problem was.

What did the little snot say? "You! YOU'RE my problem! You tell all of us how we should fight or not fight but I've never seen YOU fight! All I've ever seen is you behind the Vice-Principal's desk!"

Well, those words about fightin' were fightin' words! (or, uh, something like that.) No little punk fifteen-year-old was gonna get away with telling me off, especially when it was garbage spewing out of his mouth.

The Turtles are short, but so am I, so I was able to go nose-to-beak with Raphael when I said to him, "You want proof that I can fight, kid? Let's go at it, just you and me."

The kid's eyes lit up like I'd given him a motorcycle. "Sweeeeet! Can we fight to first blood?"

"We fight until I say we're done," I said firmly. "Get ready."

At least Raphael wasn't forgetting everything Splinter taught him – he bowed to me before he attacked.

I'll admit, I haven't done battle with many people from Hero High except for those I knew before we worked there, but for a kid, Raphael was right up there with Sabretooth and Mystique in viciousness, stubbornness, and ability to take a hit and bounce back harder. The boy doesn't know when to quit! That's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I saw a lot of me in him (hence the beginning of this message.) But I've also gained some patience and maturity, and I've got a lot more experience than Raphael. He put up a hard fight, but when adamantium met sai, it wasn't MY knives laying broken on the ground.

"Good fight, kid," I said, and retracted my claws. That's when I got a two-toed Turtle foot square in the face.

The little xxxx broke my NOSE!

My adamantium skeleton might have saved the cartilage if he hadn't nailed me square on the tip, but instead it shattered everything from front to back. I suppose I'm lucky no spikes hit my brain, but even if they had, the healing factor would have dealt with it. Until it finished the healing, though, I was in a HELL of a lot of pain!

I came closer to ripping Raphael a new one than I had with any kid before, but I reminded myself over and over that my healing factor was already fixing the damage. The Turtle wouldn't be so lucky if I broke something of HIS.

I grabbed the top edge of his chestplate and yanked him right up close to me. "I KNOW Splinter never taught you to attack someone who has lowered their weapons, but I guess you need a little positive reinforcement!" I hauled him over to the horse (a padded stand with four legs we use in the gym) and threw him across it so that his feet came right up off the floor and I had a clear target of that strip of flesh under the lower edge of his shell. I drew back my hand.

I should have known better than to let go of him and I'd underestimated his strength. He grabbed the edge of the horse with both hands and did a front flip right off of it, landing on his feet. He smirked back at me. "You're gonna have to do better than THAT, Teach!"

"Fine," I growled. "Then I will. And when I catch you, you'll wish you'd stayed put."

It was a free-for-all. The kid had lost his weapons, but he was quick and agile (hard to believe I'm talking about a turtle, huh?) and had muscle and endurance to spare. At least I was able to breathe through my nose again, which made it a lot easier to keep up with him and match him blow for blow. But I had something that he _didn't_ have; adamantium-laced bones. He was doing more damage to _himself_ by punching and kicking me than he was in hurting me (with that one exception of my nose) and I was healing as fast as he was hitting, but he retained every bruise. I have to give him credit, though – he didn't let it show.

Finally though, I had to do something to end our little dance because I had another class to teach soon and Raphael still had one more lesson to learn. While we fought, I managed to force him back under the ropes, then I popped my claws and slashed two of them so that they fell on top of him. Those ropes are pretty heavy, and while I knew he could get out of it sooner or later, I didn't give him the chance. As soon as he was floored, I grabbed him before he could find his feet again and twisted both arms behind his shell.

"You couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?" I said as I drove him back to the horse and threw him over it. "If you move THIS time, kid, I'm gonna sit on your shell to hold you down, and I don't know if it can stand three hundred pounds of pressure." I kept one firm hand on his shell and with the other, I unfastened my belt. That was going to be his penalty for breaking away from me the first time.

I'd never spanked any of the Turtles before, but I knew from reading Splinter's messages that their rear ends are pretty sensitive, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I landed the first crack of the belt square on target and Raphael yelled in pain. I think he gritted his teeth to keep from yelling again after that because he stubbornly held back as I continued the whipping. I didn't hold back, either, I gave it to him as good as I would if it had been my own kids or any of the ones at the Xavier Institute if they had behaved as he did. The difference is, though, is that the Turtles have a smaller 'target area' to punish, so the kid was getting it in pretty much the same spot every time except when I began laying into the backs of his thighs.

He may not have been screaming or hollering like Kurt would have done, but Raphael was doing a lot of moaning, groaning, and grunting by the time I finished with the fifteenth lick. I reached over the horse and hauled his shell backwards so that he was standing in front of me. I think his eyes were wet, but it was hard to tell with the bandanna he wore as a mask – it would have absorbed the tears.

"I hope to hell you understand why I did that, kid," I told him. "You're a tough fighter, Raphael, one of the best I've ever seen. And you've got a great father and Master in Splinter, but you've got to remember to apply his teachings to your life ALL the time, not just when you're in his presence. Not only do you represent him with your actions, but you represent Bushido and I don't think you want to be one of those who shames that style by being a dirty fighter instead of an honorable one. Do you?"

He lowered his head and scuffed his toes against the floor a few times. "Nah," he said finally, then raised his eyes to meet mine. "I'm sorry I attacked you like that. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Neither do I, but I hope if you ever start thinking that way again that your butt and your subconscious get together to remind you of how you're feeling right now and knock some sense into you."

He did a weird thing then (well, I guess it's not so weird for he and the Turtles, I remember Splinter mentioning it before.) He got down on the ground and stretched into a low bow, putting his forehead against the floor. I bent down and put my hand on the back of his head.

"S'okay, kid. You're forgiven. Get outta here."

Raphael got to his feet again, bowed at the waist, then started to leave. He stopped at the door and looked back.

"You don't have to worry about telling Splinter," he said. "I'll tell him myself."

Now, with some kids, I might have thought, 'yeah, right, sure you will.' But not this one. I could tell he was going to be as good as his word. And he was – Splinter contacted me before school was out and assured me that he and Raphael had shared a long talk about the incident and he felt that the boy had finally realized that rash actions can have disastrous results for everyone involved. We're both hoping this lesson learned will be a lasting one for him.

Logan

End of Part 104

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	5. Chapter 105

Robin's Diary - Part 105

By Haruka

I brought up a discussion on our list about whether we'd ever dreamt about being spanked, whether by our guardian or not, or whether we were even someone else in the dreams. It sparked some interesting conversation, and spurred me to post my own most recent recurring dream. I was hesitant to do it at first, because it involves Slade, but the others encouraged me, so here's what I told them:

When the dream begins, I somehow know that I have been with Slade as his apprentice for a couple of weeks, and that I've begun to notice something. Well, okay, I know that I've actually noticed it before then, I just wasn't willing to admit it earlier.

He gave me something I wanted that I had never gotten from Batman.

Both men are no-nonsense, do-as-I-say kind of guys. You know, control freaks. But Slade took it to new and different heights that Batman never would. Of course, Batman is my father.

Slade is my master.

Don't get the wrong idea – it has NOTHING to do with anything even remotely sexual (EW! YUCK!) I knew that even when he told me to CALL him 'Master.' It was something else, something to do with my needs, not his.

When he blackmailed me into becoming his apprentice, I fought him all the way. The problem was, there were sensors in my new uniform that told him exactly how much I enjoyed stealing for him - the thrill, the danger, the ... badness of it. Those endorphins gave me away.

But still I denied it. And every chance I got, I would attack Slade or tell him off, only backing down when he would threaten my friends' lives.

Slade enjoyed sparring with me, and on some level, I think he liked my disobedience. Or more specifically, he liked making dire predictions of what would happen if I did disobey. I laughed out loud when he said he would spank me. Little did I know how much he meant it, and how it would prove to me how low I'd sunk.

All of that is realization and memory at the very beginning of the dream – then we move to the part that proves the theory ….

"ROBIN!"

The sound of my name being called in that demanding, angry tone was enough to send a chill straight to my butt. Mostly because I knew what it meant if he caught me - he had said this time would be the last time. I ducked down behind the enormous chair that looked more like a throne to me and held my breath.

Slade's boot heels seemed to click hard enough on the floor to crack it, but I was more concerned with what would happen when they _stopped_ clicking. And they did, just on the other side of the chair.

"I know you're here, Robin," his smooth purring voice said. "You're hiding from me. Shame on you."

I felt my face heat up. Why was it that three simple words could have an effect on me like that?

"The question is, WHY would you be hiding?" he speculated. "Could it be because you disobeyed me on your latest mission and you know that you're in for severe punishment?"

I swallowed. Yes, that would be why. I wasn't proud of it. Slade had made very clear what the punishment would be for disobedience this time, and I wasn't in a hurry to face it.

"Do not compound what you've done by hiding any longer, Robin, for my patience grows thin," Slade informed him. "If I have to go looking for you, it will be much worse."

IF you can catch me, I thought.

"Very well," Slade remarked and stood up. "Here I come, young man. Prepare yourself."

I sprang from his hiding place at the same moment Slade appeared in front of me. He must have known where I was the whole time.

I barely stopped short of slamming into Slade's chest and managed to carry my momentum up, leapfrogging over the man's head. Slade spun around and grabbed for me, but while he might have been stronger, I was faster. I landed on my hands and sprang into a somersault that landed me on a metal pipe high over Slade's head.

"Very nice move," Slade commented. "However, it won't save you from receiving well-deserved punishment."

One moment he was there, the next he was in front of me again. I didn't even hesitate, I threw a punch. Unfortunately, he dodged it and threw one of his own.

We fought hard for several minutes, and as usual, we were evenly matched. I had more at stake than he did, but in the end, his added height and strength gave him the edge and he managed to catch my foot during a backflip. He flung me aside like I weighed nothing and although I managed to roll with it, he had time to stride over and grab my bicep before I could jump to my feet.

"You've been a very naughty boy, Robin," he chided smoothly. "You know what that means, don't you?"

"I know what you said it means," I told him. "But if you'd be willing to reconsider, I'd appreciate it."

Slade chuckled. "Ever the cheeky one, aren't you?" He shook his head. "No, no, no. I'm afraid that when you disobey me, you will ALWAYS face punishment. How else will you learn?" He began pulling me back towards the throne. I tried to struggle, but he was holding my arm up high, barely allowing my toes to touch the ground. I tried to swing my foot to kick him in the knee and he gave my arm a twist in his grip that made me cry out.

"I'm disappointed, Robin. Can't you even accept defeat gracefully?"

"Never!" I declared.

"Then I expect to hear some very ungraceful protestations as I warm your bare bottom with my hand." He twisted my arm behind my back and I winced. To struggle in that position could mean breaking the bones, so I could do little else but drag my feet as he forced me the rest of the way to his throne, where he took a seat. He lifted and deposited me across his knees and I landed with a *WHOMPH!* as the air was knocked temporarily from my lungs. While I was trying to remember how to breathe, he began pulling my uniform pants down (of course I'm wearing the Slade uniform, as I did the last time I was his apprentice.)

It was enough to get me fighting again, risk of a broken arm or no, but all I could do was kick my feet. I knew I must look helpless, especially when my bare bottom was finally exposed.

"And now you will learn why it is not a good idea ever to cross me again," Slade said in that creepy, purring tone that only he can manage. "And when I'm done, you'll thank me for it and will kiss my hand in gratitude."

I said something in reply that good little superheroes should never say. He clicked his tongue at me.

"Goodness, you ARE a naughty boy, aren't you? Apparently we will have to add mouthwashing to your punishment when we finish here."

He began spanking me. I could tell right from the first blow that it was going to be a bad one – he was heavy-handed and powerful. Even as strong as I was, I couldn't break free from the hold he had on me. It was unyielding. And as his hand descended repeatedly on my unprotected backside, all I could do was squirm and kick in a degrading manner for one who was supposed to be so clever and capable. I, Robin the Boy Wonder, was utterly and completely trapped.

With Batman, if I tried very hard, I might have a chance at escaping punishment. He knows there are sometimes extenuating circumstances, and while he's strict, he's not completely unreasonable. He cares enough to listen to my side, even if in the end, his rules ultimately win out. But with Slade, there WAS no 'my side.' If I disobeyed, THIS is what I would get; no question, no bartering, no chance for appeal. I don't know whether he loved me like a father or if he just respected my skills as an apprentice, but he was someone who could control me, and make me toe the line, like it or not.

But here's the scary part – I liked it. I liked having no choice and being forced into line, knowing what would happen if I deviated. It was strangely … freeing. Reassuring. Comforting.

And when the spanking was over, I _did_ thank him and kiss his hand, despite the tears running down my face. He was pleased with my acquiesce, but reminded me that we would now have to wash out my mouth.

That's when I wake up. I don't know if common sense breaks through my subconscious or if I just can't stand myself kowtowing to Slade any longer or if I really AM scared that this all means something about myself that I don't understand. It can't be that I don't think Batman is strict enough, can it? I don't think he lets me get away with much. Do I really want a dictator for a father? Do I not trust my own decisions in the field and would rather some adult did my thinking for me?

One part of the dream was true to life – I know that as much as I wanted to deny it, I _did_ enjoy stealing for Slade. And as terrible as I feel about that, I can't change it. Is it that guilt doing this to me?

Robin

Unquote. After I posted this, the other kids had some varied and insightful theories about the cause of it, but all of them were fully supportive. They helped me to believe that I wasn't crazy for dreaming stuff like this, and I'm really grateful to them for that.

End of Part 105

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	6. Chapter 106

Robin's Diary - Part 106

By Haruka

Poor Virgil had a close call on the job the other night:

I'm kicking myself tonight, for more than one reason. Gear and I had to stop some stuff going on in the parking lot of a local mall (a couple of metahumans were stripping cars with their powers.) It was routine enough, no big deal - some cars got flipped over and smashed, though, and that attracted the attention of the police. They showed up just as we had bagged the baddies, and the news crews came, too.

Well, there Gear and I were, talking to the press, when out of nowhere comes Hot Streak. He grabs me, turns me around, and kisses me hard. Right there in front of the news guys, the cops, Gear, and various patrons of the mall.

Now, I know I told you that Hot Streak and I had sort of broken up because of what happened with Impulse and the CD store, and also that he'd been trying very hard to get me to talk to him ever since. A few days ago, I'd finally relented and we had a long talk. He said he felt badly about what happened at the store, but had panicked because of his past. He also said he knew it wasn't a good excuse, but he hoped I'd give him another chance, anyway. I confess, I'd been missing him, so I agreed. And ever since then, things between us have been great.

I guess he just wasn't thinking when he kissed me today. And I sure as heck wasn't thinking when I started kissing him back (except maybe about what a great kisser he is.)

I felt a tug on my coat and opened my eyes again, remembering where I was. I started to turn to look at Gear, who was the one doing the tugging, but then I saw WHY he was trying to get my attention. My father was standing just outside the circle of cameras, watching us like the Specter of Doom.

He looked so angry that it was MY turn to panic. I took off, and fast. Later, at home, the whole thing showed up on the news and Pops had a field day talking about teenagers and inappropriate behaviour and how much he would have loved to spank both Hot Streak and Static right there in the parking lot. In the meantime, I tried very, very hard NOT to look guilty.

Virgil

* * *

Virgil said this when some list members expressed concern about his getting involved with Hot Streak again:

I figure I'm only fourteen, I don't have to worry about settling down yet, and in the meantime, it's cool to be able to go out with someone who's handsome and exciting (and really well built ...) He's actually pretty sensitive deep-down, and that vulnerability comes out sometimes when we're together. But having been (if you'll pardon the expression) 'burned' before, I'm inclined to be just a little more cautious this time. That's why I had him make me a promise - if we get back together, he gives the hero business a try. Batman has already agreed to let him enroll in Hero High if he wants to, and he says he'll give it his best shot.

I just hope no one slips up and calls me 'Virgil' in front of him. I'm not ready to give up THAT secret yet.

Virgil

* * *

As if Virgil didn't have enough problems, well, he made another one for himself yesterday. A lot of us were involved in it, too. The Cartwright boys held an impromptu party while their father and stepmother were on their honeymoon, and myself, the Teen Titans, Kurt, Michelangelo, and Virgil all went. The only thing is, Virgil deliberately went as Static, and he did it just in case we got caught (his father doesn't know he's Static, so it meant he'd get off scot-free for being at the party.) What none of us counted on was Batman dropping in to check up on the Cartwrights. Well, I ended up being tethered to him at the wrist ('so he'd know where I was') and then he brought all the other kids home except for Static. He told him to stop by our house the next day and – well, here's Virgil's story:

Like I told you guys last night, Batman had instructed (uh, okay, ordered) me to show up at Wayne Manor this morning while Robin was at his Teen Titan meeting. I had a really bad feeling about it, especially since he specifically instructed me to show up as Static.

I rang the front doorbell and Alfred answered. I've met Alfred on more than one occasion - the first time was when I woke up in the Batcave and he was pulling Poison Ivy's tree bark shards out of my arms. He told me he was Batman (I love his dry sense of humour.) But today, he didn't even speak to me except to ask me to follow him. He brought me into an elevator and we emerged in the Batcave.

Batman was there already, and he looked over upon our arrival. "Good morning, Static. Alfred, you may leave us."

"Very good, sir," Alfred replied and closed the elevator doors without even glancing in my direction.

"Over here," Batman said to me, and I obeyed (well, geez, wouldn't YOU?) When I was standing in front of him I couldn't help noticing, and not for the first time, how tall and imposing and downright scary he is in that costume.

"You must have some idea why you're here today," he said.

"Not exactly," I answered. "I mean, that is, I guess it probably has something to do with the party."

"It has everything to do with the party," Batman told me. "I know your father well enough from the mailing list that I'm certain one a.m. is past your bedtime."

"Yes sir," I gulped.

"And so far as I know, there were no Metahuman crimes being committed at the Ponderosa which necessitated your personal attention."

I lowered my eyes to the ground, feeling stupid. "No sir."

He folded his arms. "I'm fairly certain that the children who attended that party are going to be punished appropriately by their parents. Except for you, because your father only knows that 'Static' was there – not that Virgil was. And I believe that was by your design."

I now had a good idea why I was there and all I wanted was to escape. I tried a desperate tactic. "Not ALL the kids will be punished. The Teen Titans don't have guardians anymore except for Robin, so they'll get away with it."

"I'm going to be picking Robin up from his meeting personally, and while I'm there, the young Titans will all sit and listen while I tell them exactly why what they did was wrong and that being on their own is a privilege they'd better not abuse again if they want to remain that way." His expression darkened. "And don't try to take attention off yourself while casting it onto others, Static. That's not very heroic."

"Nothing personal, Batman, but I'm feeling anything but heroic right now," I said frankly. "I'm feeling more like running and screaming."

"In a few minutes, you may indulge in the screaming part," he said calmly. "Running will have to wait until afterwards. Coat off."

With reluctance so great I don't think mere words could do it justice, I very slowly took off my gloves, then methodically began to remove my long coat. Batman took it and put it onto the table nearby. The shirt I wear under my coat is a tank top, and my bare arms immediately broke out in goosebumps. I resisted the urge to rub them.

"I know your father spanks you," Batman said, "but I want to know exactly what you think he would do if he knew it WAS you at that party."

I felt heat flood my face and I couldn't look at him. "Uh, well, you just said it. He'd spank me."

"How, Virgil? I want details."

He was really going to make me say this. Blast his black bat heart. "He almost always spanks me bare … over his knee." I swallowed. "He doesn't always count how often he spanks me – it varies. For this I'd guess –" I mumbled the next part, "probably about twenty times."

"Then that's exactly what we'll do." Batman turned a chair around and sat on it, removing his own gloves. He glanced at me where I remained motionless. "What are you waiting for?"

Christmas? A natural disaster? Spontaneous combustion? A miracle? I didn't think he'd like any of those answers, so I began unfastening my pants. I remembered how thrilled I'd been to meet Batman the first time, and how excited I was every time I'd been able to work with him. Now he was going to be paddling my bare backside. How low I had sunk.

Embarrassed doesn't begin to cover how I felt when I pushed my pants down and he guided me over his knees. It was a lot different than anything I'd ever felt before. Not only because it wasn't Pops' lap (and I could feel the difference, even if I hadn't known it), but because this was the first time ever that I was being spanked as Static and not as Virgil. I hoped fervently that it would be the last.

Pops doesn't take forever to adjust me on his lap the way Batman does Robin, and I guess either Batman knew that or else he was being merciful and didn't want to prolong my suffering, because he only adjusted me for about two minutes (still longer than Pops) before I felt that awful stillness that comes just after they've got you where they want you and just before the hand descends. But as awful as that stillness was, it was still preferable to what came next.

Batman's hand crashed down on my bottom and I let out a yell so high-pitched that probably dogs could only hear it. But I wasn't the only one who made a sound – Batman grunted in pain himself.

"You gave me a shock," he warned. "Get that under control – now."

I must have been charging up as my fear had built, but now that I was aware of it, I could power down enough so that he wouldn't get zapped again. He didn't say thank you or anything – he just walloped me again before the sting from the first had time to wind down. I tried squirming loose, but Batman's strong hand and my awkward position made it impossible, and his spanking hand kept raining down on my poor suffering backside in steady, deliberate, and very powerful whacks.

Weird thoughts skittered through my mind between spanks. How strange it was not to feel Pops' stomach against my side, bracing me (he's kinda, well, big there), the way that the Batcave floor was perfectly clean, despite being a cave (does Alfred actually mop it?), and how LOUDLY every sound was amplified in there (especially that of hand-sharply-meeting-bottom.)

I'd like to be able to say I didn't cry. I mean, how humiliating would it be to cry in front of Batman, a superhero you've admired since you first started reading comic books? But after a while of hearing that *SMACK!* over and over, echoing in that big cave and feeling an explosion of pain each time to accompany it, well, I think even the Green Lantern would have broken down (okay, maybe not, but let me have SOME dignity here, people.) I guess what I'm trying not to say is that I bawled like a baby, but I did.

I don't know if Batman decided on twenty whacks or not, I was way too miserable to count. He rubbed my back and said something quietly (I think he told me it was over, but I was sobbing so hard I drowned him out), then he helped me to my feet and gave me a hand getting my pants back up. I brushed at my eyes with the back of my hand and was shocked to realize how sopping wet my cloth mask was – had I really cried that much?

Batman held my coat for me and I kept my head bowed as I let him help get it on. Then he took my chin in his hand and forced me to look at him.

"I know I didn't have the right to do that, and you didn't have to allow it, but I respect you for doing so, and I'm proud of you, Static." He shook his head. "So long as your father is in the dark about your identity, the rest of us take it upon ourselves to watch out for you, while he watches out for Virgil."

Okay, maybe this next part was whack, but I couldn't help it. I was really touched that he cared that much about me, and even if I REALLY didn't like the way he was showing it, I loved the sentiment behind it. So I hugged him. That's right, I threw myself against that broad-as-a-brick-wall chest and squeezed for all I was worth, burying my face against him. He put his arms around me and held me while I cried myself out.

I think Batman and the other Justice League members and Hero High teachers understand how hard it's been for me, with Pops only knowing half the details of my life. I don't really WANT to start seeing my mask as a way to get away with mischief – it's just supposed to be protection from creeps finding out my identity. But I took advantage of it last night, and I might have done it again if I'd gotten away with it. So yeah, I'm grateful that Batman saw the problem and dealt with it as he felt Pops would have. He said he didn't have the right, but I told him that if he ever felt Static was getting too big for his Mylar disk, he and his buddies had my blessing to remind him (even if it hurts, ouch!)

Virgil

End of Part 106

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	7. Chapter 107

Robin's Diary - Part 107

By Haruka

Something decidedly weird is going on at Hero High – Kurt told us about his experience with a 'mystery spanker':

I'm in school right now, writing on my PPC, and the weirdest thing just happened. I had stopped by Burger Barn on my way here, as I often do, but I didn't have a chance to start my breakfast burger until I actually got into the building (usually I finish on the way.) We're not allowed to eat outside the cafeteria in Hero High  
(unless it's outside at the picnic tables) but no one was around so I quickly unwrapped my burger and had only managed to down one bite when someone gave me a sharp swat on the butt! It sent me right up onto my toes! (well, okay, I always walk on my toes, but I went up _higher_.) Once I'd regained my balance I turned, but no one was there!

It could have been a speedster, to get in and out of the hallway so fast, or it could have been ANYBODY and they just ducked into one of the classrooms lining the hallway (all the doors were closed.) In any case, I was afraid to take anymore chances (the swat had hurt) so I chucked the rest of the burger. *sob*

I may be the first kid here to get spanked by someone completely anonymous. Nosedive thought it was cool when I told him (I hit him when he said that) because it's a big mystery, but for me it's weird not to know who's been touching my tush (or why - I mean, I _assume_ it's about eating in the halls, but what if it wasn't a teacher? _ )

Kurt

* * *

When school was over, there were more stories to tell about the mystery spanker. This one is from Michelangelo:

Sign me up as the second, dude. I got nailed outside, when I dropped a candy bar wrapper on the ground (so I'm not neat, so sue me!) Only in my case, they couldn't get at my 'butt', since my shell hides that sensitive part unless I bend way over. They smacked me across both thighs at once instead (left a mark, too – I think they used a ruler or something.)

Wow, a real mystery at our school – I wonder if they'll make a comic book about him? :D

Mikey

* * *

Then victim number three took Peter Parker's suggestion and changed the subject line to 'The serial spanker':

My big sin was trying to sneak a peek in the west wing (yes, the 'secret' is still being kept in there.) I didn't try too hard - all I did was form a ball of electricity which lit up the area a bit more so I could see better. But before I got a good look at anything, my Static coat (which reaches to the middle of my calves) was suddenly yanked up and OVER my head from behind and I felt that sharp WHACK on my backside! I had to fight with my stupid coat just long enough for whoever it was to disappear, and I decided that peeking into the west wing wasn't worth it after all.

Whoever does this is _good_.

Virgil

* * *

A lot of theories are being tossed around about the serial spanker now. It was suggested that maybe it's a 'secret police' force the teachers implemented. There were more victims today, though. Remy and Wanda were nailed (simultaneously) after making out in the locker room, and Peter tried a set-up that didn't catch the guy, but identified him as at least not having super-strength. Then there was a story a non-list member told me at school about his own incident with the spanker. Former Teen Titan enemies, Thunder and Lightning, are in our school now, and although these guys are reformed, they still have this never-ending goal in life to have 'fun', and that can cause problems. They've pretty much stopped blowing up the entire city just to see the pretty lights and hear the loud noise, but Lightning can still be destructive on a smaller scale when he thinks he's alone and can get away with it. I guess today he was out back near the baseball field, enjoying himself by zapping the water sprinklers just to see them go off (wrecking them in the process, since the electricity/water combo caused mini explosions.) He said that he had blown up the fourth one when someone whacked him a good one from behind. And same as with the rest of the victims - when he turned, they were gone (good thing for them, since he says he fired a bolt at the spot they should have been standing in!)

Secret police? A vigilante spanker? I think all of us are looking over our shoulders now, but I've got a plan to try out at school tomorrow (it means putting my own butt on the line, but well, what else can the partner to the World's Greatest Detective do but give his all to solve a case?)

End of Part 107

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	8. Chapter 108

Robin's Diary - Part 108

By Haruka

I'm glad everyone thought my big plan was so clever - too bad it didn't work.

I did everything just as I planned. I had the chemical powder on the seat of my costume just prior to slipping into the Teachers' Lounge. No one was in there, and I figured I'd have to poke around a bit before getting nailed, but no way. I hadn't taken five steps into the place before my cape was up over my head like Static's coat and I felt a painful whack across my butt.

Success right? No, because they used a PADDLE to hit me with!

With no skin contact, the powder is of no use. I should have remembered that not every whack was delivered with the hand - Mikey got smacked with a ruler. I thought that was just because of his shell being in the way, though.

I'm glad I didn't tell Batman about this plan, I'd feel so stupid having to tell him it failed.

Robin

* * *

I posted this on our list today, after solving the case of the serial spanker:

I owe you guys an apology. I lied to you. I told you that the other person I had in mind to help me solve the case of the serial spanker wouldn't co-operate. That wasn't true. It also wasn't true when I said I never thought it could be a kid doing this. I just didn't want my suspects (yes, plural) to know that they were being set up.

It was yesterday when I found out for sure that there was more than one person involved, and the reason was that at the same time I was being smacked in the Teachers' Lounge, _Nosedive_ was being smacked in the east wing hallway (for using his jet-skates indoors without authorization.) He told me about the incident during lunch, when it was just the two of us. I asked him not to tell anyone else, not even Kurt (thanks, Dive, I know keeping quiet is hard for you! XD) and then I revised my plan to be a trap.

Today, Raven asked to leave class to use the bathroom, but once out of the room, she started to leave school. She got as far as the lobby before her telepathic power picked up on another mental presence, moving in complete silence, and coming closer. She knew who it was immediately, and just before they could touch her cape, she turned and used her other power to pick them right up off the ground by the shell.

Yes, it was a Turtle. Specifically, Leonardo. And he was helpless in Raven's magic grasp.

Now that one of them had been caught, he said he could confess everything (and I'm sure being plastered against the ceiling didn't hurt in drawing that confession out, either.) It was all a training exercise for the Turtles in the art of invisibility that Splinter came up with, and for which he had asked permission from the staff to carry out. All of us in Hero High are experienced at stalking enemies and at being stalked by them, so it was going to be challenging for the Turtles to be able to sneak up on us, touch us, and disappear again before being seen. It was Batman who suggested that instead of just tapping our shoulders or something, they swat us for breaking rules. That way, the rest of us could have some practice in detective work (because it would drive us crazy NOT to know who was doing it) and it would also serve the purpose of drawing our attention to the fact that even minor rules are rules and could be subject to punishment. Plus it would make things even more challenging for the Turtles, which of course, pleased Splinter.

Once Raven listened to Leonardo and released him from her power, he bowed deeply to her and apologized. He promised that he would alert his siblings and their father that the exercise was finally over because he had been detected. She said that although he behaved in a humble manner with her, her empathy power picked up on how upset he was that it was _he_ who ended up being caught first. Leo, if you read this, don't beat yourself up about it. Raven's psychic - she would have known ANY of you as soon as you approached her, no matter how silently you moved.

So the case is closed. Don't be too hard on the Turtles, guys. We _all_ have to do what our parents tell us (most of the time) and the truth is, it WAS good practice in detective work, just like Batman said.

Robin

End of Part 108

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	9. Chapter 109

**This chapter recounts events that took place in the 'Kidnapped' episode of Static Shock.**

Robin's Diary - Part 109

By Haruka

Virgil made this amazing post (which is also a post from his father):

Hey everyone,

My Pops and Richie and I all had a pretty hairy past twenty-four hours. Pops was kidnapped to use against me, and before it was all over, he had figured out that I'm Static. He says he already posted about it on the Adults' list, and he even gave me his post to print here if I wanted to. Since it'll save me a lot of typing and shows the whole thing from his perspective, I figured I'll let you hear it straight from him:

Good evening, everyone. I'm sorry for worrying you, but the truth is, I was kind of worried for myself and my son for a little while there. I'm still reeling at the revelations the whole situation produced and … well, let me start at the beginning.

Yesterday, when my daughter and I were leaving the Centre at the end of our work day, I was kidnapped by a pair of bang babies – the bounty hunters, Puff and Onyx. Puff rendered me unconscious with her knock-out breath and although I wasn't witness to what happened next, I learned later from Sharon that they loaded me into a truck and took off, then she tried to chase them down in her car. Puff used acid breath to melt her tires, and Sharon's car went out of control. Fortunately for her, Static was flying overhead, and he managed to use his power to pull her out of the car just in time (her car then went through the front of a building and was destroyed.) She told him that her father had been kidnapped and that he seemed horrified to hear it.

I think I must have slipped in and out of consciousness on the way to my prison, because I heard part of a conversation that said I was being used to 'get to Static.' When I came to fully, I was in a cage where the horizontal bars were comprised of lasers. I had a long wait in there by myself to do nothing but think, and the more I thought about what I had overheard, the less I could avoid realizing the truth.

My son Virgil was Static.

There was no other reason for them to think Static would care so much about the head of a community center, and besides, other things about both Virgil and Static began to make more sense. I think I'd had suspicions now and then, but had suppressed them rather than acknowledged them. No one wants to think of their baby being in harm's way every day of his life.

The next person I saw was Static himself. My captor let him into the room to speak to me (although not into my cage), while she waited by the door. He tried to talk to me as if he didn't already know me, but I told him he could cut the act and called him by name. He was surprised that I'd figured it out, of course, but we didn't have the luxury of time to engage in a long heart-felt conversation about it. He apologized for putting me in danger (even though I told him I didn't blame him), and he said that if we got out of this, he'd give up the superhero business, because he didn't want anything like this to happen again.

That was when my captor, a woman calling herself Omnara, sent my son out to do what she wanted him to do in order to have me released – he had to steal some equipment of hers from Alva Industries, from which she'd recently been fired. Apparently, part of her job there had been to find out Static's identity for Alva, and she found out on the very day he decided he didn't care if he knew or not anymore since Static helped save his son's. So although Alva didn't care, she used the information to find me, which is how we ended up going through this.

The equipment Static stole for her enabled her to interface with every computer and digital component on the planet. While she was occupied with setting it up, Gear arrived (having taken a heavy hint that Static dropped during a battle they had while he was trying to take the equipment) and he put a virus into Omnara's main server (which at that point, was her brain.) It would take a while to kick in, though, so Static used that time to rescue me from my cage (by lifting me through the lasers horizontally while I laid as still as possible. I had to suck in my gut, though, heh.) Static, Gear, and I managed to get above-ground, which is when I asked Virgil if Gear was Richie. Gear tried to disguise his voice and avoid the question, but Virgil just said, "Yeah, that's Richie", at which point Gear gave me an embarrassed wave.

Well, I must say, when Omnara came after us, we had to do some fancy evasion techniques to keep from getting run over by the vehicles she was controlling with her mind (at one point, I had to tackle my son to keep him from getting squashed by a school bus!) Then, FINALLY, Gear's virus took effect and Omnara was no longer a problem. You could say her hard drive, otherwise known as her brain, crashed.

Then it was time for the boys and I to talk about the superhero thing. I admitted that I didn't want them to do it – the idea of them facing danger every day was terrifying – but the fact is that they were given those powers, and it just wasn't right for me stop them from doing what they felt they had to do. I _did_ tell them that they would have to tell Sharon, however.

And even that didn't pan out. My daughter had just been informed by her insurance company that her car wasn't covered for Bang Baby incidents. That prompted her to throw a fit, claiming that if she heard anything else about Bang Babies, she was going to explode. I decided that maybe telling her that her little brother and his best friend were both Bang Babies wasn't the best idea at this time.

Incidentally, I asked Sharon to stay off this list from now on so that she won't read anything about Virgil's identity. As I said before, I'm still reeling from all this and remembering all the things that Static has done and now being able to say, "That's MY boy who did that!" (well, not out loud, because he still has an identity to protect, but I can do it here. J I mean, this kid has saved not only Dakota, but the entire world more than once. He's fought alongside Batman and Robin, Green Lantern, Justice League, Anasi – and he's even helped people who tried to hurt him, like Alva. He told me that he got to go into the future and meet himself as an adult, when he's a member of Justice League and has a son of his own, and he also says that he went into the past to try and save his mother. Although he couldn't do it, he and Jean got to talk, so she knew how he turned out (no wonder she always called him her superhero!)

It's hard to keep from crying with the emotions involved – the joy, the pride, and the fear – but I'll try to hold it all together for Virgil's sake. Thank goodness I can now be there for him. And I want to thank all of you who teach at Hero High (which I didn't even know Virgil was attending) for helping to take care of my boy when I couldn't. I understand why you had to keep his secret.

Robert

* * *

Unquote. There's stuff that happened which Pops doesn't know about, of course, like how I threatened several Bang Babies trying to track down information on where he was (they always were a little scared of me - now they're TERRIFIED of me. I was pretty intense.) And how I mourned for Sharon's car (which was supposed to be MY car when I get a license. *sob*) But beyond that, and more importantly, I'm going through a lot of emotional stuff myself. Big-time relief is part of it for sure! I hated having that invisible wall between Pops and myself, and there was nothing I could do about it.

Still, I'm not ENTIRELY free and clear. It's only a matter of time before he remembers seeing Static and Hot Streak making out on tv.

Virgil

End of Part 109

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	10. Chapter 110

Robin's Diary - Part 110

By Haruka

It didn't take long after Mr. Hawkins found out about his son being a superhero before he remembered what happened between Static and Hot Streak on tv:

That was probably the shortest amount of time any superhero kid had between his father going from 'I'm so proud of you' to 'I'm ashamed of you' but my Pops managed it!

Don't get me wrong, it's not the Static thing he was talking about; he's still proud about that. It's Hot Streak. Yeah, he remembered seeing us kiss in front of him, and also when we were on tv before that. Here's how the (ha!) 'conversation' went:

Pops: (walking into my room without knocking) VIRGIL!

Me: (leaping about a mile into the air) Yaahhhh! Pops, do you WANT me to be the youngest patient in the coronary care unit?

Pops: What I WANT is for you to explain your disgraceful behaviour with that criminal Hot Streak! I remember seeing you kiss him, rather passionately, I might add, on more than one occasion!

Me: (caught off-guard) Uh, um, ah ...

Pops: Young man, I demand an answer immediately!

Me: I-I don't HAVE an answer, Pops! Hot Streak and I just sorta stopped being enemies and became something else. I didn't mean for it to happen!

Pops: (staring, then turning purple) Exactly how MUCH has happened?!

Me: (waving my hands frantically) Not THAT much!

Pops: It better NOT have! You're only fourteen and this boy is ... how old?

Me: (mumbling) Seventeen.

Pops: (going from purple to fuchsia) You are not to see him anymore, Virgil.

Me: But Pops, he's changed! He's reformed, he's not a bad guy anymore! He's even attending Hero High - he's trying really hard to -

Pops: I don't care if he's running for sainthood! He's too old for you and you're NOT to see him anymore! Am I clear?!

Me: (rubbing my ear and pouting) Crystal.

So that's where we are. I'm still glad Pops knows I'm Static, but as you can see I've now got a whole new problem. Hot Streak started attending Hero High because I agreed to go out with him again if he did. If I tell him Pops said I had to stop seeing him, will he quit? I know it's his life and he's responsible for it, but I'll still feel responsible if he quits.

Besides, I don't WANT to break up with him. *sigh*

Virgil

* * *

Virgil titled his next post 'The Young and the Metahuman':

That's me, star of my own personal soap opera. You won't believe what's happened THIS time. Wanda and Rogue, it's funny that you should talk about your friends Nico and Raven and whether or not being friends or girlfriends is okay. Because I just got thrown two more gigantic curves in my already way-too-complicated love life.

I was doing patrol alone, because I couldn't reach Gear (which is weird, but not impossible.) I had foiled a routine mugging - not even a Metahuman involved - and I was just leaving the scene, getting ready to step on my Mylar disk, when suddenly my arms were bound to my sides and I was yanked into the alley.

It was the coil of a whip tying me up, and the whip glowed with purple energy - the energy of Shiv, a Chinese Bang Baby and a member of Ebon's Metabreed. I've mentioned Shiv before because we fight him often. He's one strange guy, maniacal at times, laughing like crazy as he's trying to cut you up with the light-energy weapons he creates from his hands. Another time you'll see him get distracted by a video game and sit down to play while in the middle of a robbery. His behaviour, like his power, is unpredictable.

Today he held me tied with the whip held in his left hand while his right formed into a deadly-sharp energy blade. "I'm only going to say this once, Static, back off and leave Hot Streak alone!"

"I'm not doing anything to him!" I exclaimed, and I'll admit, I was totally clueless here as to what he was talking about. It's not like I was hauling Hot Streak off to jail or anything, and so far as I knew, that's all Shiv would care about.

But I was wrong. Shiv gave that insane laugh of his and the knife-blade of his hand changed into a spinning buzzsaw. "Ohhh, you'd better NOT be doing anything to him, buddy! _I'm_ the only one who belongs in his bed, you got that?!"

I finally realized we were talking about two entirely different things and now I was completely thrown. And I didn't even get a chance to respond, because Shiv jerked on the whip that bound me and I went spinning into a pile of garbage (somehow, I ALWAYS end up in a dumpster or something. It's embarrassing.) By the time I'd made it to my feet again, Shiv was gone.

You can imagine the stuff that was going through my head as I left. I didn't know if Shiv's feelings were one-sided, or if he had already been in a relationship with Hot Streak and had been dumped for me or what. And that mention of being in Hot Streak's bed ... it really threw me. Had they already slept together? Shiv is about sixteen, maybe seventeen. Older than me, like Hot Streak. I guess it was none of my business if they'd been together in the past, but it still bothered me.

I was flying along, still thinking about it all, when I spotted Gear. He was in the park, talking to someone. I almost called out to him when I heard Hot Streak's voice rising in anger and realized the two of them were arguing. I know I shouldn't have, but I flew around the long way and doubled back so I could sneak up behind the fountain and eavesdrop. Here's what I heard:

Hot Streak: Where do you get off telling me how to treat him?! I've been good to him, you don't hear him complaining, do you?!

Gear: Not about how you treat him specifically, but you've made some awfully public displays of affection with him even in front of tv cameras and they're causing him problems at home!

Hot Streak: He hasn't said anything to ME about that.

Gear: Of course not! He's too nice to dump his troubles on you because you might think they're you're fault, which would be the truth!

Hot Streak: Look, don't talk to me about truth, Brain Boy! I don't even know who he is behind that mask, so if I don't always understand him you can't blame me! (There was a pause then.) But if you REALLY want to get into honesty, exactly how honest have YOU been with him?

Gear: What are you babbling about?

Hot Streak: _I_ think you're not just worried about Static as your crimefighting partner or even your buddy. I think you've got the hots for him yourself!

Gear: W-What?! You're crazy!

Hot Streak: Oh yeah?! Then how come you just turned beet red?

Gear: (sounding angry) Because you're so full of hot air, Hot Head, that every time you open your mouth the temperature shoots up twenty degrees!

Hot Streak: You can deny it all you want, but I've seen you around him – the way you watch him when he's not looking, the need in your eyes –

Gear: Shut up! Static's been my best friend for years!

Hot Streak: And that's all he'll ever be because A) He wants ME now and B) You're too chicken to tell him how you really feel!

Gear: You're just afraid I WILL and then you'll be out in the cold!

There was total silence for a couple of moments as Gear realized what he'd said and Hot Streak gloated. Then Hot Streak snorted derisively and said, "I guess we'll find out, won't we, Geek? Not that it would do you any good if you _did_ tell him!"

He flew off, laughing. I remained hidden until I heard Gear leave, too.

I tell you guys, the changes are coming too fast. First Pops finding out who I am, then hearing how Shiv feels about Hot Streak, and NOW finding out that my best friend might have romantic feelings for me! Richie and I are so close, I can't believe I never noticed. I love him with all my heart, but we've always been friends, and I never really considered thinking beyond that. Richie's like a brother to me, always looking out for me and making sure I don't get myself killed on the job. It didn't occur to me to think of him in another light until today.

And after thinking about it … REALLY thinking about it … yeah, I could see it as a possibility. A strong possibility. I mean, I already know him backwards and forwards. He's seen me at my worst and vice versa. We know we can fight and always make up. We've held each other during the low points and cheered each other on at the high points. He's definitely attractive. And sweet, funny, smart (REALLY smart) and we have just about everything in common so far as likes and dislikes. I saw us in the future – we'll still be Static and Gear and we'll still be partners – we're in it for the long haul as friends.

Or … as soulmates?

The thing is, I cherish our friendship so much, I'm afraid that exploring anything else would change it and ruin it somehow. I couldn't stand to lose that. And what about Hot Streak, for whom I still have a definite attraction, even if Shiv will be out for blood anytime I go near him? I'm forbidden to see Hot Streak, but haven't told him yet, and don't know if I can. Pops wouldn't forbid me from dating Richie. He might drop dead from shock at the change in our relationship, but he wouldn't forbid it. That would probably be the end of any sleepovers, though.

I think I'm about to start hitting my head on the keyboard now.

Virgil

End of Part 110

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	11. Chapter 111

Robin's Diary - Part 111

By Haruka

Virgil's 'The Young and the Metahuman' soap opera continues in the following posts:

Today I cornered Hot Streak in Hero High and told him what happened with Shiv. I asked if Shiv had any reason to think he had a claim on him. Hot Streak hesitated, then said that he and Shiv had had a pretty serious relationship going on when he was still with the Metabreed, but then he started finding himself attracted to me. Shiv realized it and the two of them started to fight a lot. In the meantime, Hot Streak made headway with me and gave up the Metabreed because I wouldn't date him if he didn't.

I asked if he still had feelings for Shiv, and he hesitated again. He finally said, "Probably as much as you have feelings for Gear."

I don't think he meant it the way I took it, or maybe I'm not the only one torn in two directions.

Oops, there's my phone - Pops is still at the Centre, so it might be him.

Virgil

* * *

That WAS Pops, calling from the Centre. He told me he was going to be late. Shiv went in there to talk to him (not knowing who he was, of course) but Pops recognized him from being on tv with the Metabreed. Pops says that Shiv was really upset and didn't look too good, and in the middle of talking to him, he passed out.

He woke up in the infirmary at the Centre - the nurse had checked him out and determined that he didn't need to go to the hospital, but she also discovered his real problem.

Shiv is PREGNANT. The first Metahuman male ever to conceive since the Sheizma Stone did its work.

And guess who he told Pops is the father?

I'm really thrown. The idea of Shiv reproducing is scary. The idea of Shiv reproducing _alone_ is just sad. And apparently he's scared to death that Ebon will find out he's pregnant and will try to take his kid to use for his own evil purposes - that's what he went to talk to Pops about, to see if he knew some safe place where he could hide until he gives birth.

Pops told me to call Hot Streak and tell him what's going on (Shiv says he hasn't told him about the baby yet.) From the sound of his voice, Pops thinks even less of Hot Streak now than he did before. Me? I don't know WHAT to think!

Virgil

* * *

I can't believe this - my Pops just arrived home with both Shiv AND Hot Streak in tow! He's having them stay here tonight!

How could he DO this to me?! Doesn't he realize what a weird and dangerous position this puts me in?! Neither of them know I'm Static, but somehow Static knew that Shiv was at the Community Centre and called Hot Streak about it - what if they think about that and start putting two and two together?! And Hot Streak may have cared about Static romantically, but he NEVER liked Virgil Hawkins!

Plus knowing that Shiv is carrying Hot Streak's baby does NOT make me feel particularly hospitable toward him. And yet, I feel sorry for him!

Maybe _I'M_ the one losing my mind! I need to call Richie ...

Virgil

* * *

I'm a little better now. Richie came right over when I called him, even though it meant putting his own secret identity at risk. As soon as Shiv saw me tonight, he said, "Hey! You're the kid we kidnapped once because we thought you were Static!" I decided it was safer to let Richie in the BACK way (they've kidnapped HIM before, too ...)

Pops said it would be okay for Richie to spend the night (I think he's hoping it'll keep me away from Hot Streak.) That's fine with me - I don't want to take any chances on them guessing who I am, and besides, I _want_ to spend time with Richie tonight. I need someone who understands me completely.

Virgil

* * *

I guess Richie was serious when he had his argument with Hot Streak the other day, because tonight he admitted his feelings to me. And he did it right when I was trying to tell him that I was having feelings for him, too. It wasn't a conversation that would win Soap Opera awards:

Richie: Hey, V, this may not be great timing -

Me: Yeah, I know what you mean, but I've got to talk to you -

Richie: And with everything going down tonight, I don't want you to think I'm trying to take advantage -

Me: I know this might seem like rebound talking but -

Richie: I talked to Hot Streak about you and told him -

Me: I overheard you talking to Hot Streak and it got me thinking -

(We both stopped there and looked at each other)

Both: What?

Richie: You first.

Me: No, you.

Richie: Did you say you overheard us?

Me: (blushing) Um, yes.

Richie: (blushing) Oh.

Me: (scuffing my toe in the carpet) It's not just you, you know. I've had thoughts like that.

Richie: Really? Honest? But ... you and Hot Streak -

Me: No, _Static_ and Hot Streak. He doesn't even know who I really am, and if he did, do you think he'd still care? Besides, I've been thinking about it all since I heard you guys and ... Rich, I don't want to ruin our friendship. (I looked at him, fear probably showing on my face.) Would that happen if we were ... you know...

Richie: (tentatively) Boyfriends?

(I nodded.)

Richie: (sighing) I don't know, V. I hope not, because I can't turn my feelings on and off like a faucet. You're my best friend and I hope you always will be. But ... I'm attracted to you, too.

We looked at each other then, and a moment later, I had kissed him. Or he had kissed me. Maybe we just kissed each other. It wasn't like kissing Hot Streak. It was hesitant and soft. Nice. When we pulled back, we both blushed some more and started giggling like little girls, then we punched each other on the arm and next thing we knew a pillow fight had broken out and Pops came up to see what all the noise was about.

It's almost one a.m. and everyone else is asleep, including Richie. He's sharing my room tonight. I guess that won't happen anymore if Pops finds out we have feelings for each other, but I'm not gonna hide it from him. I've had enough of secrets and sneaking around. And if there was any decision left for me to make about all this, well, I guess I just made it.

Virgil

End of Part 111

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	12. Chapter 112

Robin's Diary - Part 112

By Haruka

Mr. Hawkins posted this on the adults' list:

It took most of the evening, but Hot Streak and Shiv finally decided to move into the dorm at Hero High this weekend. Batman and Mystique answered all their questions and concerns, and reassured Shiv that he can be privately tutored either until he feels comfortable enough to attend classes or until the baby is born, whichever comes first. There are ALWAYS adults around, but because of Shiv's delicate condition, they're going to appoint a 'Mother's Helper' for him (one with medical training.) This person will help look after Shiv during the pregnancy and will help care for the baby after it's born when he's in class.

Hot Streak was already committed to reforming before this, but now Shiv is determined to do so as well, for the sake of his child. It will take some work, but at least they're moving in the right direction.

I actually DID offer to house them both here until the baby is born, so they would have time to make other arrangements if they didn't want to go to Hero High, but in the end, they turned me down (they didn't want to impose, they said.) Batman and Mystique had put Shiv's mind at ease, and he was given a transporter, so he can go back and forth to Dakota in an instant if he wants to (although with the Ebon threat, he thinks staying out of the city might be a better idea, after all.)

The only thing I'm still concerned about now is that Shiv still doesn't know about Virgil being Static, and he still might hold a grudge against Static for having a relationship with Hot Streak, even if it's over now. But I guess Virgil can deal with that if he has to.

Speaking of Virgil, I've been very proud of him throughout this, he handled it maturely. There don't seem to be any residual romantic feelings left for Hot Streak (at least if there are, he hasn't exhibited them.) He told me that Static and Gear are going to do their best to track Ebon down and bring him to justice so that the expectant parents won't have to worry about him anymore.

Robert

* * *

Virgil had an interesting question for Shiv:

Just on impulse, I asked Shiv a few minutes ago if he'd given any thought to what kind of disciplinarian he was going to be with his child, like for instance, would he believe in spanking? He gave an incredulous look and said, "Are you kidding! You think I want my kid to end up like ME?! Of course I'll spank him!" Then he went on to demonstrate how many different implements he could use his power to create from his hands - paddle, hairbrush, ruler, slipper, wooden spoon, switch, cane, belt - he can do it all and STILL have regular hands for the basic on-the-spot swats if he needs them! We really had a great laugh over all this. It's scary, but I might actually come to LIKE Shiv by the time this is over.

And personally, considering both of this child's parents-to-be, I think he'll end up having to use every one of those implements and more.

Virgil

* * *

Rogue told us about an amazing experience (at least from her unique perspective!):

I just had an experience that … well … I haven't had since before my power manifested.

I had a couple of special classes at Hero High yesterday (yep, they're even open on Saturdays, but not the full schedule of classes.) I got into an argument with one of my teachers and ended up with an hour's detention over lunch.

I only had one other class after lunch, but during it all I could think of was making sure my mother didn't find out about the detention (I've gotten a few of them lately, and was pretty sure I'd be grounded for the rest of the weekend if she knew about this one.) I figured the teacher had put the note about the detention into my mother's box in the office (all the teachers have boxes there – they're for drop-offs and stuff.) Since Mother isn't usually at Hero High on Saturdays, I figured I could sneak it out of there and she'd never know.

As soon as my class was over, I went to the office and peeked in. The secretary was there, arranging some papers which she then carried into another room. I made my move and ran into the office. Sure enough, there was a note in Mother's box about my detention. I hurried to leave but skidded to a stop. There was a teacher in the doorway who had just seen me snatch the note! It was Splinter.

"Uh, um, Ah can explain," I said feebly.

His steady gaze went from my face, to my hand (with the note), and back to my face. "An explanation is not necessary. Come with me."

He turned and walked away and I followed, trying not to step on his tail.

We reached the Teachers' Lounge (it's near the office) and he went in. I hesitated at the doorway, since students aren't supposed to go in there, but I guess it being Saturday, there wasn't as much chance anyone would show up. It was empty.

Splinter turned to face me (he had to look up – he's only about four feet tall!) and said, "I do not know what that note is about, and it is none of my business. Just as it is none of yours."

"But it is!" I said quickly. "I had a deten—"

He held up a hand and I fell silent. I don't know what it is about that rat, but he has a quiet way of making you do whatever he wants.

"The point is, Rogue, that the note was in your mother's box, and is therefore her property. It is not for your eyes, nor is permissible for you to steal it. As I am the one who caught you in the act, I am the one who will punish you now." He took a seat on the sofa and beckoned me over. "You will lay over my lap as I spank you," he told me.

Oh Lordy, I thought. I glanced fearfully at the walking stick that he'd placed beside him on the cushions, wondering how he would wield that at such close range.

"I will not be using the stick," he replied to my unasked question, and his hand (paw? What do you call it with rats?) took hold of my arm as he guided me over his knees. Man, it was weird being over someone's lap besides Mama or Daddy's, but when I felt him push up my skirt and start pulling down my tights and underwear, I forgot about all that and freaked.

"NO!" I cried, struggling. "You can't do that – my power! If you touch my skin with your bare hand –"

"I know what I am doing, child," he said firmly, holding me in place as he finished baring my bottom. I wasn't worried about being spanked anymore, but I was terrified about what would happen when he made contact. Splinter's okay and all, but I sure didn't want a rat in my HEAD!

I felt a sharp, stinging smack of Splinter's hand meeting my bottom and winced, anticipating the flow of his life force into me.

It didn't happen. Instead, I got a second burning swat. I gasped from surprise as much as from pain. No one had been able to bare-bottom spank me since before my power manifested. What was going on?!

"Did you forget that you cannot absorb animals, Rogue?" Splinter asked quietly, giving me another taste of his hand.

I hadn't exactly forgotten, but then I didn't really think of Splinter as just an animal. He's a teacher, a father, a person. But I guess he _is_ also a rat, and he was right – I'd never be able to absorb him.

Don't think I'm weird for saying this, but I almost enjoyed that spanking. It was painful and embarrassing, just like all the others, but it was skin-to-skin contact for the first time in so long … let's just say when I started to cry, it wasn't from hurting.

I don't know if Splinter realized everything that was going through my head, but being as wise as he is, I think he did. He still gave me fifteen good wallops that made my butt blaze like all get-out (those tiny hands are deceptively stinging), but after he helped me dress and stand up, he allowed me to hug him tightly and cry on his shoulder.

"It is all right, my child," he said, patting my back gently. "I understand."

I eventually pulled back and bowed to him (that's something else that being around Splinter makes you want to do.) He smiled and reached up to place his palm against my cheek. Despite the prickly fur of his hand, it felt wonderful. Fresh tears flowed and probably soaked his skin, but he didn't seem to mind.

He put the note back, I guess, because Mother _did_ talk to me about it, but I also told her about the spanking. She cried, too. Maybe I can't touch EVERYONE in the world, but now I know that there are a few whom I could if I wanted to (and if they allowed it.) Splinter, the Turtles, Nosedive and the other Ducks … there are probably more animal-based mutants, too. It's not everything, but it's not the nothing I had before, either.

Rogue

End of Part 112

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	13. Chapter 113

Robin's Diary - Part 113

By Haruka

Logan posted this on the Adults' list after he and Mystique accepted Professor Xavier's invitation to move back to the Institute and help he and the other teachers out:

Well, here we are, back in the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. There are differences - more kids, new relationships amongst established kids, new power struggles. Another difference is that this time I don't have a room to myself. Mystique will be there hogging the sheets, like she did at our place. *ducks*

Kurt's been bounding all over the place on all fours, excited as hell to be back. Rogue tried to stay aloof for the first minute-and-a-half, then Scott Summers gave her a big 'welcome back' hug and she got into the spirit of things.

Speaking of Scott, he may be one of the problems the Professor wanted us here to help deal with. And I never thought I'd say that, because Scott is also Cyclops, leader of the X-Men. He's a seventeen-year-old boy-next-door type, who just happens to have eyes that emit concussive ruby-red blasts that can punch through a mountain. When I first met him, I nicknamed him 'Pollyanna', because he was WAY too optimistic for a kid who was already experiencing being hated and feared for his power. I guess he turned out to be right, though, since mutants are being accepted more often than not now. Throughout it all, he stayed a nice, down-to-earth teenage boy. I'm proud of him for that.

But one of the problems with Scott now that I can see already is that he and Jean Grey (gorgeous, redheaded telepath/telekinetic) have finally gone from mooning over each other in private to the first stages of real dating. We all knew they'd eventually get together, and now that it's happening, we want to make sure they don't get TOO close, if you know what I mean.

Another problem that Ororo Munroe (Storm) clued us in on was that Scott has been showing a tendancy to get a little too big for his britches where the other kids are concerned. Granted, he has responsibilities with them - he's allowed to conduct training sessions without an adult present and he's always left in charge when there are no adults at home. But I guess there's been a time or two lately when he's overstepped his bounds. We'll have to watch that.

And finally, the last problem (unless there's one I don't know about yet) is between Scott and Mystique. I can't say I totally blame the kid - Mystique did something really lousy to him once, and although she's reformed and apologized time and again, Scott won't let it go. I can't see it in his eyes (he wears ruby quartz glasses to hold back the force beams because he can't control them) but it's in his body language and voice as soon as she gets anywhere near him. And I guess I'm guilty by association because I chose to be with her. At least he doesn't seem to hold anything against Kurt or Rogue, thankfully.

Well, that's about it for now. Gotta finish unpacking.

Logan

* * *

Kurt mentioned an incident that took place after his first Danger Room session since his return to the Xavier Institute. Since it involved Scott, he let him tell it:

There's not much to tell, but thank you SO much for bringing it up, Kurt (I OWE you.) I've known that Lance (codenamed Avalanche, a nemesis of mine - we're the same age and have butted heads more than once.) was still trying to ingratiate himself to Kitty for a long time, but she'd been holding him at bay until he saved her life. Now they talk on the phone until all hours and he keeps trying to talk her into dating him. When she said she was going to have breakfast with him, I guess it startled me. I don't trust Lance. He's tried to go straight, but always keeps falling back into criminal activity. Kitty is very young and impressionable, and Lance is quite a bit older than she is (and okay, he's handsome in a long-haired, bad-boy sort of way) so I'm concerned she might not look past it to see him as he really is.

So when she made that announcement, the first words out of my mouth were, "No, you're not!"

Kitty stared at me (heck, I guess EVERYONE was staring at me), and Ororo informed me that she had already given Kitty permission to go. Oops. How was I supposed to know that?

Kitty stuck her tongue out at me (very mature) and said, "You are so BOSSY, Scott!" and stomped off, ponytail bobbing against her back.

The others looked like they wanted to stick around and watch me get yelled at, but Hank ushered them away. Left alone with Ororo, I received a sound scolding about throwing my proverbial weight around with the younger students and how I should keep it in the Danger Room. I made the mistake of joking that we WERE in the Danger Room when I said it (and trust me, I'm usually not a jokester - that's Kurt's department.) I immediately wished I hadn't said it, too, because Ororo's blue eyes narrowed and next thing I knew I was on uniform-washing duty.

I guess I should admit this isn't the first time I've received this lecture, and it probably won't be the last.

Scott

End of Part 113

No characters here are mine.

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	14. Chapter 114

Robin's Diary - Part 114

By Haruka

Logan posted this story on the adults' list:

Like I mentioned earlier, two of the recruits, Amara and Roberto, who were supposed to be at the training session this afternoon didn't show. So I decided to go looking for them at the first most obvious place.

I got to the mall and found it packed (naturally, since it's Saturday.) Despite the fun of hunting prey, my mood took a downward turn as I started pushing my way through all the teenagers and mothers with whiny kids and desperate bargain hunters.

I sniffed around, but didn't detect them on the first floor. I went upstairs. I debated whether to look for them in the food court first or in one of the expensive clothing stores (both these kids come from big money families, and they fancy the kind of duds a lot of kids buy, but can't really afford.)

I was coming up to The Gap when I caught Amara's scent (or rather, the scent of that exotic perfume her parents send her from Brazil.) I took another whiff and picked up Roberto's scent along with it, so I went in.

Now, these are two good-looking kids, and I understand the draw of dressing pretty when you're young and can show it off, but not on MY time.

I guess I didn't look like I belonged in that place with the colourful stacks of cute clothes and pounding modern music coming through the speakers. People cleared a path for me.

I spotted Amara holding up a sweater in front of herself before a mirror and I walked up behind her. You should have seen her expression change in the mirror when she saw my reflection right over her shoulder. She spun around, mouth opening and closing wordlessly.

"You stay in this spot, kid, or it'll go even worse for you later," I told her, then followed Roberto's scent to a changing room. How convenient.

Even more convenient was after I used an adamantium claw to slice the lock on the door and walk inside, I saw the kid had just taken down his pants (presumably to try on the new suede ones that were laying on the bench.) He looked up in horror. "Logan!"

"He remembers my name. That's good. Too bad he didn't remember the training session." I sat down on the bench and hauled him over my lap - no preamble, no chatter. I didn't care that the other customers could hear it. He was just lucky I'd shoved the door over.

I yanked down his underwear and gave his fourteen-year-old butt a good whack. He yelled and struggled, but I held onto him and followed that whack up with a few more just as hard.

If Roberto could activate his power, he would be strong enough to pick up my nearly three-hundred pounds and chuck me across the mall, but he must not have had any solar energy stored up and there was no sun to be had in the changing room, so he had to endure the entire spanking. He sobbed, begged and pleaded, but it didn't do him any good.

I could tell that outside the changing room, all other noise had stopped except for the music and various murmurs from curious customers. And Amara's heartbeat, which sounded a lot louder than it normally would have. It wasn't enough to drown out the spanking sounds, or Roberto's protests and tears, but that was his problem, not mine.

I finally pulled up his underwear and stood him up, and after seeing his wet miserable face I sighed. "It's your own fault, Sunspot," I told him, wiping his face. "You know the rules and you deliberately broke them. Now go outside and wait - it's Magma's turn."

His light brown eyes widened in his olive-skinned face. "O-Out THERE?! But everyone will know ...!"

"You ain't staying in here while I spank her, that wouldn't be fair. So guard the door. You can face away from the crowd if you want."

"Can't I go to the van?" he begged.

I laughed. "And let you out of my sight in this place? Not a chance. Now, outside."

Roberto lowered his head (probably so as not to see the shoppers stare at him) and slipped out the door. Probably no one heard he and Amara's whispers, but my sensitive ears did.

"He w-wants you in there now," Roberto murmured with a sniffle.

"Oh _no_," she whimpered. "It sounded so awful! Maybe I should run for it. Maybe I'll still get spanked, but at least it'll be at the mansion."

"You'll never make it out of the store, Amara," I called out. "Get in here."

"Sir!" some tall skinny kid said as he opened the changing room door and looked down at me. He was no older than Scott, but his nametag said 'Assistant Manager.' "You're disrupting the store, I have to ask you to leave."

Both Roberto and Amara nodded vigorously, highly in favour of that idea.

"Sure, we'll leave," I said. "In about five minutes." I reached out and caught Amara's wrist, pulling her into the changing room and kicking the door shut.

I couldn't afford to worry about whether they were calling security or not – I had a job to do. Amara was starting to cry already, and I hadn't even smacked her yet. I didn't waste any time getting her over my knee and baring her backside. She squealed when I first whacked her, then tried hard to keep her mouth shut afterwards. Maybe she remembered how clearly Roberto's outcries had been heard out in the store. She held out pretty well until we were about half-way through, then a particularly sharp spank to her undercurve made her gasp, and once her mouth was open, she didn't close it again. She needed it to breathe, anyway, because by then tears were flowing rapidly and her nose was probably blocked. She cried out with every blow after that, but she didn't try using her power to create fire, either to hurt or distract me. Good thing for her.

We finished the spanking in its entirety, much to her dismay. Once she was dressed, I gave her a quick reassuring hug then told her we'd be leaving now. I came out (holding her arm), and noticed Roberto standing right up against the changing room door, facing it, trying to hide from the onlookers the only way he could and still obey my orders. I took hold of his arm as well and left, hauling two tear-stained, sniffling, well-punished kids along with me. No one stopped me, so I guess they'd decided not to call security, after all.

Neither of them sat very easily on the way home in the X-Van, and I took advantage of my captive audience to lecture them on responsibility and keeping appointments. I also informed them that the three of us would be having a nice little private Danger Room session all by ourselves first thing in the morning while the other kids were sleeping in.

Is it still nice to be home, you wonder? Yeah. I care about these kids, and I'll do what I have to do to make sure they get their training so they won't get killed in the field. Someday, they'll thank me for it.

Either that or they'll all gang up on me and toss me into the nearest ocean to sink like a stone.

Logan

End of Part 114

No characters here are mine.

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	15. Chapter 115

Robin's Diary - Part 115

By Haruka

Two more posts from the adults' list, this time from Mystique:

I guess I could use some advice. I had to wait until Logan went out so I knew he wouldn't see this (if he does, at least it'll be long after the fact.)

Earlier, I went outside while Scott was washing his car. I didn't say anything to him or bother him in any way when I passed, but next thing I knew, he'd turned the hose on me full blast. I was soaked from head to foot, and while my clothes are my skin, I can't 'instant dry' just by changing to another outfit. I turned to  
look at him through dripping strands of red hair and he just stared back at me. No apologies, expression neutral. Then he went back to washing the car and ignored me. I had been about to say something, but I realized I had no idea what, so I bit my tongue and went back in to change.

I know it wasn't much, but it still bothers me and I'm not sure what I should do about it. I don't want to snitch on him to Charles or the others. Maybe I should just let it go. That would probably confuse him more than anything.

I went up to confront Scott about what happened earlier, and luckily I found him alone in his room on the computer. I went over and told him I wanted to talk to him. He said he was busy, didn't even look up at me. I reached over and turned off the monitor, saying, "Now you're not."

He spun around in his chair and glared up at me (even through the glasses, I can tell a glare when I see one.) "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"Getting your undivided attention," I said. "We need to talk, Scott. Right now."

He looked away. "Don't you think you're making a big deal out of a little water?"

"It's not the water. It's the fact that you attacked me without remorse."

He slowly got to his feet until we were face to face. "Well, that should sound familiar, shouldn't it?"

I knew he was referring to that incident in Mexico I mentioned earlier. "I know I've done horrible things to you and the people you care about," I said steadily. "I've apologized to you and to them, several times over. If the apologies aren't enough, then look at how I've been living. I've changed. I love my children, their father, my job, and I even love THIS place –"

"So much so that you already blew it up once and nearly killed us all," he snapped.

"YES, I did that!" I exclaimed, raising my voice. "I'm aware of everything I've done before, Scott, and I'm not going to forget that I did those things. The memories will haunt me forever –"

He rolled his eyes (I think) and sneered, "Oh, PLEASE! I hope you're not expecting sympathy from me!"

"Not a bit of it," I said, trying hard to keep my voice even. "I just want a chance."

He stepped forward now, trying to intimidate me. It might have worked if we hadn't been about the same height.

"Lady, every time I've turned my back on you, you've stuck a knife in it," he snarled. "I'm not falling for it again! I may have to put up with having you in the Institute, but I didn't invite you into my room and if you don't leave right now, I'm not responsible for what happens next!" His hand went up to touch the arm of his glasses.

I held my ground, although I knew full well what would become of me if he lifted those glasses even a little. "I'm leaving," I told him. "But let me just say this. I can't make you believe me or trust me, but I sure as hell can keep you from attacking me or showing outright disrespect and getting away with it. This is your last reprieve from me, Scott, so if I were you I'd think long and hard before getting cute again. Logan's not the only one who knows how to handle X-Children who behave like petulant brats!"

And I left. I guess I didn't make any headway toward improving our relationship. All I did was lay down the ground rules and set boundaries.

Well, maybe for now, that's the best I could expect.

Mystique

End of Part 115

No characters here are mine.

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	16. Chapter 116

Robin's Diary - Part 116

By Haruka

We Hero High kids have spent all week going out on important assignments that we're actually being graded on. Here's a story from Nosedive about what happened to he and Kurt during their time in the field:

I guess Kurt and I managed to ruin that perfect streak that Robin was talking about for the Hero High gang while we were on assignment. Some of us were made to help guard the goings-on at a big-deal meeting happening in an 'undisclosed' location.' A lot of important people were involved from different countries, and it was supposed to be all hush-hush. There were some flyers watching from above, but Kurt and I had ground duty. Wildwing was acting as our field leader.

This was something that neither Kurt nor I had done before, and you know what? It was boring. I don't just mean 'yawn, how dull' kinda boring. I mean 'if I have to stand here overseeing a bunch of geek stuffed shirts a minute longer, my brain will turn into oatmeal and ooze out my ears' kinda boring. Kurt felt it, too, and it didn't help either of us that we were in the same vicinity but couldn't talk to each other. We'd been given these nifty little walkie-talkie doodads to use, but then Wing got mad when we used them to chat with rather than strictly for updates on the current situation (what kind of updates did he want? 'It's boring on this end. Still boring. Oh wait, there's some more boredom ahead!')

Anyway, absolutely nothing of interest was happening anywhere and just when I started thinking I might sneak over and visit Kurt at his station he appeared in front of me in a cloud of smoke. What great timing! Now, before you think of us as _completely_ irresponsible, keep in mind that Kurt's teleportation is instantaneous, and while we were chatting he took a couple of trips back to make sure nothing had changed (it hadn't.)

We got into a discussion about the school dance coming up and how we're both on the committee to organize it all. There's a lot to discuss, and I guess we got involved in our conversation enough that we didn't see Wildwing coming until he suddenly appeared in front of us. And boy, was he MAD!

"What are you two doing here?!" he demanded.

"This is my station," I said, then I noticed something kind of embarrassing behind him.

The crowd we were guarding was gone! They'd all moved into the building – we could just see the last couple of them disappearing inside.

"Uh oh," Kurt murmured.

"That's an understatement," Wildwing said angrily. "Kurt, you deserted your post, and Nosedive, you may as well have for all the attention you were paying." He glanced back at the building. "I can't leave the other kids unsupervised so we'll deal with this later. Both of you go to the Migrator and stay there." With that he turned and headed toward the building himself.

"But you'll be short two guards!" I called after him.

He stopped and turned. "Since I can't spare any other guards to GUARD those two guards we'll have to make do without you. Apparently, we already were, anyway!"

My brother stalked off leaving Kurt and me sinking in Guilt Swamp.

Kurt was pretty upset by the time we reached the Migrator, and while I tried to comfort him, it wasn't easy, because I was feeling sort of badly myself. Maybe if it hadn't been Wildwing we'd let down, I'd have felt differently, but I don't know.

It was such a long wait for him to come back, that I had to fight the impulse to drive off in the Migrator with Kurt and just never go home again. Sitting around and waiting to face a ticked-off version of my older sibling is not my idea of fun. It's probably a good thing that I didn't do that, though. Wildwing still looked annoyed when he finally joined us, but annoyed was still a big step up from furious.

"I've told the others to wait until I call them before coming in here," he said, standing in front of us and crossing his wings over his massive chest. "I'm really disappointed in both of you. These aren't just field trip playtimes, you know, they're actual assignments that we as heroes are supposed to be doing for the good of others." He pointed back toward the building. "Those people in there were counting on us to protect them. Do you have ANY idea what kind of international incident could occur if something happened to them on our watch? And what exactly would I be expected to say as an explanation? 'I'm sorry, Mr. Prime Minister, we didn't mean to let you get shot, but my little brother and his boyfriend would making eyes at each other instead of doing their jobs.'"

"Hey, we weren't doing that!" I protested.

"Dive, I don't care WHAT you were doing!" Wildwing's voice rose. "I care what you WEREN'T doing, and that was what I told you to do, what you knew you were supposed to do and what you know darn well you should have been doing!" He ran a hand over his bill slowly, trying to calm himself, I think. "You both have failed this assignment, and that's going to reflect in your grades. But I hope that more importantly than that, you understand why what you did was so wrong."

Kurt piped up plaintively. "Do you _have_ to fail us?" he asked. "If Mother and Father find out –"

Wildwing stared at him, then started to laugh and shake his head. It wasn't a nice laugh and didn't sound much like Wing.

"Okay," he said finally, "I guess that last hope of mine was pretty stupid, wasn't it? You're not thinking at all about what you did, just whether or not you suffer for having done it. And you know what? After that, Kurt, I don't think that failing you is enough."

Next thing I knew, Wildwing had reached down and pulled Kurt right out of his seat (maybe even off his feet) and took his place in the chair. He hauled Kurt over his lap and yanked down his pants.

"Wing, NO!" I cried, jumping up just in time to grab his upraised arm. "You can't spank my BOYFRIEND!"

My brother looked up at me steadily. "Sure, I can. Just watch. But don't go far, because you're next."

I blinked and staggered back a couple of steps, falling back into my seat. Kurt was struggling and kicking his feet, his tail loose and flailing. Wing caught it and used his bill to clamp down on it so that it remained still, then he started spanking Kurt.

I watched. I felt like a louse, but I was also sort of intrigued. I mean, I think Kurt's the most gorgeous creature on Earth, and to see him in that position … well, did you guys ever read those Xanth books where they talk about how the Nymphs squeal and kick their feet cutely? That was Kurt to me. Even though he was suffering, he looked weirdly beautiful as he squirmed and cried, his long hair bouncing forward and back alongside his face with every blow to his (adorable) blue butt.

Okay, enough of that or Kurt will kill me.

Anyway, Wing finally got finished with Kurt and released both he _and_ his tail. My poor boyfriend dressed and rubbed his butt with both of his three-fingered hands (watching that, I was thinking even more thoughts that were poorly-timed) while sniffling and hiccupping. I was so fascinated watching him that I didn't notice Wildwing reach out for ME until I found myself facing the floor, minus my pants.

I don't think I put on nearly as good a show as Kurt did (hey, I don't have a cool tail or cute feet or a fuzzy blue backside) but I did quack in pain more than once and yeah, I guess I had some eye-leakage, too. And Kurt watched, I saw him. I started to feel embarrassed by it until I remembered how I felt seeing it happen to him. After that, I tried NOT to remember, lest Wing catch on, if you know what I mean.

It was a hard spanking, and I'm pretty sure I didn't look handsome at all by the end of it. I did my own share of butt-rubbing and bill-honking afterwards, too.

Finished with us, Wildwing stood up and put a hand on both our (shaking) shoulders. "I wish I hadn't had to do that, but this was a serious matter, and you two weren't treating it that way. I hope you get some sense before your next assignment, because you'll need to perform that one perfectly if you want to make up for what you lost today, not to mention someone else's life might be in your hands again, and they deserve better than what you gave these people."

Kurt burst into fresh tears and Wing hugged him. I scuffed my foot against the Migrator floor in a couple of different places like I was searching for something.

"Dive," Wildwing finally asked, "what are you doing?"

"Looking for the best place to dig a hole to crawl into."

He smiled resignedly and pulled me into his arms next.

So that's the story of our botched assignment. Like Wing said, we'll be more attentive to our duty next time. For sure.

Nosedive

End of Part 116

No characters here are mine.

(2003)

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	17. Chapter 117

Robin's Diary - Part 117

By Haruka

I'll admit I cringed when reading this story of Virgil's – I guess I could see elements of myself in it:

Remember the good old days when Static could do and say anything and not have to worry about repercussions at home? I'm really starting to miss those.

Today I performed a pretty cool rescue. There was a hostage situation, and I managed to foil the robbery, save the hostages, and capture the crooks, all without anyone getting hurt and without any damage to the store. Gear wasn't with me – he'd gotten roped into some family thing.

As per usual with stuff like this, there was a big crowd, including the news media, and they all rushed to interview me. I'll admit it, I'm a ham. I love being the centre of attention, and I'm a real showman, too. In short, I'm one of those rare heroes who doesn't avoid reporters. If they didn't show up, I'd probably call them myself!

Anyway, I guess I have a tendency to toot my own horn, but hey, I usually can back it up. I can't say I've never been beaten in a fight or made to look like a fool. I've ended up getting knocked into too many dumpsters for that. But so far, the odds have been in my favour.

So today, with the grateful hostages and store owner, and the police congratulating me on a job well done, it was really easy for me to crow a little more than usual for the cameras about how the bad guys never had a chance against me. The interviews and photo sessions took longer than usual (a lot of the hostages wanted to be photographed with me) and of course there were autographs to sign, etc. Everyone kept singing my praises and I was leading the choir and loving every minute of it.

At one point, I felt an arm go around my shoulders. I thought it was someone else wanting a picture, but I wasn't sure I liked the over-familiarity without at least an introduction, so I turned to say something to them. I did a double-take when I saw it was Pops. He was smiling, but it was the kind of smile that I knew well. The public show before the private chewing out. Something was wrong.

"Static," he said cheerfully, "if you're about done here, now would be a great time to come into the Community Centre – it's not far from here. We could discuss that appearance you're planning to do there for the kids."

The what who where?! Oh, I got it. It was just an excuse to get me alone so no innocent bystanders would get hit with the fallout. "Um, well, maybe another t—"

"I insist," Pops said, still smiling while his arm tightened around my shoulders. "My car's right over there. I'll take you myself."

Gulp. I forced a smile for my fans and admirers. "Sorry, folks, duty calls! Never any rest for us big time superheroes – OUCH!"

"Sorry, Static, was that your neck?" Pops asked innocently and steered me toward the prison bus (better known as our car.)

Once we were inside and completely alone, I looked at him like he'd flipped his lid. "Pops, what the heck was THAT all about?!"

"I saw the beginning of the report on tv at the Centre," he said, all suggestion of smiling gone from his face. "I don't want you to think I'm not proud of what you did, Virgil. You saved those people and caught the bad guys – that's a wonderful thing." He frowned. "It's your behaviour after the fact that bothers me."

I didn't have the slightest clue what he meant. "Pops, I don't get it. I just did what I always do. Talk to people, do interviews, let them take pictures –"

"I _know_ that's what you do. I've watched most of Static's interviews long before I knew he was my son." He gave me a sideways glance. "I always thought he was a nice, brave kid who needed a kick in the pants to deflate his ego."

My jaw dropped open. "Pops! Are you saying I'm conceited?!"

He sighed. "I'm saying that as Static, you're prone to public bragging. You have a right to be proud of your accomplishments, but you should also be humble and grateful."

"Why?" I asked in confusion. "My getting these powers was an accident, but learning how to use them and using them to help people and fight crime – that's all me. Well," I amended, "and Richie. It was his idea I become a hero in the first place, but I've always acknowledged his part. He just wasn't there today."

We pulled up outside the Freeman Community Centre and Pops turned to face me in his seat. "You really don't get it, do you, son? It's just plain bad manners to brag and I know I raised you better than that."

Pops has said that to me before, and it always makes me wonder why, if I was raised better, that I apparently keep doing things I knew better than to do. That just wasn't true here.

I tried to calm him by talking reason. "Pops," I said with a gentle smile, "it's okay. I know all this stuff with me being Static is still new to you, but after you've gotten used to it and have a better understanding of how the superhero business works, you'll realize everything's cool here. It's like being an actor or some other kind of celebrity, and …," my voice trailed off, having noticed that Pops had done that scary colour-changing thing with his face again. Not good.

"You dare to condescend to ME now?" he asked in a low, dangerous voice that had the potential to get much louder.

"N-No sir, I wasn't doing that!" I said, sounding very much the cool superhero (yeah, right.)

"That's what it sounded like to me between your words, your tone, and that humour-the-old-man smile!" he retorted angrily. "I'm trying to talk to you about a very real problem here, Virgil, but apparently you just don't want to listen! Well, maybe we can get your attention from the other end – get in the building!"

I scrambled out of the car like my tail was on fire (bad, bad choice of words there, I know) and Pops got out on his side. He started around the car towards me and I took a couple of steps back. I was about to say something when I realized there were kids playing basketball on the court nearby and it wouldn't do for them to hear me call the Centre Director 'Pops.' They had stopped playing to watch us already, and Pops realized it, too. He put his arm back around my shoulders and steered me toward the Centre, waving to the boys as we went.

We passed a few other people once we got inside, all of whom looked excited to see me (I tried to smile back, but it was probably awfully strained.) It didn't help that Pops had discovered that the hood of my coat, when balled up in his fist, made a great way of making sure that I couldn't slip away (presuming I didn't get suicidal and dumped the coat entirely while making a run for it.)

We reached Pops' office, a place I'd spent most of my life running in and out of. It was like an extension of home, just like the rest of the Centre. I usually loved it there, but not today. When he finally released me to shut the door, I began to babble.

"Pops, you can't really be planning what I think you're planning, not here! Do you know how many people saw Static come in with you? What if they HEAR it?!"

"Then maybe they'll call the newspapers and you'll get more free publicity." Pops took hold of my bicep and pulled me over to the couch, dropping onto it with a WHOOMP! sound. To my surprise, he didn't even wait for me to take my coat or gloves off or anything – he just pulled me across his knees.

"Don't do it!" I cried, struggling already. "PLEASE don't! I'll be good, really I will!"

"I'm sure you will be, after I've given you something to remember." Pops pulled up my long coat and piled it on my back, then took down my pants and underwear. It's not like I'd never been spanked in that office before – I knew the carpeting well. But this was the first time Pops had ever spanked me there in my full Static costume, mask and all. It just didn't sit right with me.

And sad to say, once he laid into my poor butt, it was pretty obvious I wouldn't be sitting anywhere for a long time. I started crying early on; I'm just not that good at holding out on the tears when I'm bare-bottomed over my daddy's knees, I guess. And with no costume between my backside and his Firm Hand of Justice, it soon didn't matter anymore that I was a superhero, or that I had fans and invitations for tv appearances. I was just Virgil in a mask, once more on the receiving end of his father's brand of paternal correction.

Pops didn't hold back (like he ever does!) and by the time he was done with me, I had long since stopped struggling and was sobbing like a little kid. No big hero here, uh uh. He helped me up and it took both of us to dress me with the stupid coat in the way, but then he stood up and hugged me tightly, which naturally made me cry even harder, burying my face in his chest.

"I'm s-sorry, Pops!" I sobbed. "I didn't mean it!"

"There now, it's all right," he crooned, rocking me and rubbing my back. "It would be hard for any kid your age to do what you do without it going to your head a little. I just want you to keep it in perspective." He took me by the shoulders and pulled me back so that he could look me in the (blotchy, tearstained) face. "Static IS a superhero. He's brave and selfless and does his best to protect those who can't protect themselves. But to me, the most important part of Static is that he's Virgil Hawkins, and Virgil is a wonderful person in his own right. He's a good son, works hard in school, and is a loyal friend." He sighed and placed his hands on either side of my face, pushing my mask up onto my head. "Fame is exciting, but it can turn on you, too. You know this – you've experienced it in the past. And the higher you build yourself up, the harder you'll fall when those negative sides kick in. I don't want to see that happen to you again, Virgil."

"I know, Pops," I said softly and hugged him. "I know."

So I guess I'll be toning down the ego a little (or a lot.) Richie will probably be happy about that, although it'll cut back on a lot of jokes he used to make about it.

Oh, and thanks to what Pops said in front of the reporters, I'm now committed to making a public appearance for the kids at the Centre tomorrow. So much for Saturday at the mall, but I guess it wouldn't hurt me to remember where I came from, superpowers or no.

Virgil

End of Part 117

No characters here are mine.

This fic is not to be re-posted.


	18. Chapter 118

Robin's Diary - Part 118

By Haruka

Gee. It's nice to be here today. Actually, it's nice to be ANYWHERE today after what happened at Titan Tower!

We had our usual Sunday meeting, only this time it was a bit different because Beast Boy had invited a couple of friends over – Thunder and Lightning, two of our former enemies and classmates from Hero High. It was their first time in Titan Tower, so there was a lot to show them.

I suppose when we showed them the main computer console, I should have at least suspected something bad could happen. Trouble seems to follow these guys around, even when they don't mean it. A lot of it comes from their never-ending quest for fun – it used to mean they'd cause a lot of damage deliberately, just to see the pretty explosions and hear the big booms, but they'd never really consciously think 'hey, I'm wrecking stuff here' until the Titans showed them differently. That's why they've 'reformed' (although we don't think they were ever really bad) and are attending Hero High, trying to learn to use their powers for good. But their interest in having fun never went away, they've just been channeling it better (well, they try hard, anyway, but they still have their moments where they just doesn't think about consequences.) Lightning especially is guilty of that.

So anyway, we had just finished showing them the console, and they were both very impressed with the big screen and the computer games. We were starting to lead them out of the main room when we heard Lightning ask, "And what is this big red button for?"

None of us had a chance to tell him before he pushed it.

That button is a security trigger. We all know not to push it, of course, but the idea is that infiltrators into Titan Tower don't know it, and if they push it, they find themselves not only trapped in the Tower, but it attacks them with everything its got!

We ended up not needing to hold our afternoon combat practice, because we got plenty just trying to stay alive. Every exit was locked down and our own security system was trying to annihilate us. There was no way to turn it off, so we had no choice but to keep fighting until Justice League came to our rescue. The Watchtower has a link with our security, so they know if this particular trigger is set off and can come to help catch the infiltrators in case we're not in a position to. Little did they suspect the infiltrators would be us.

Green Lantern used his power ring to disable the system at its source and then the group of us had to face the group of them, and they weren't wearing happy faces.

"Robin, how did you manage to set off your own security system?" Batman asked me.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to fink out Lightning, who was looking more than a little nervous at the idea of being in trouble with the entire Justice League. No one would believe me if I tried to pass it off as an accident.

"Um, uh, well …," I stammered.

"It was my fault," Thunder said suddenly, startling all of us. "I pushed a button when I did not know what it was for. I am very sorry." He bowed to them.

Lightning was staring at him. "Thunder! You –"

"Do not defend me, my brother," Thunder cautioned him, trying to say with his eyes what he couldn't with his voice. "It was my mistake, and I shall accept the consequences."

"No!" Lightning insisted. "Perhaps there was a time when I would let you take the blame for me, but no longer." He turned to the adults and bowed. "It was I who pushed the button. Please do not be angry with my brother – he was but protecting me."

"It is a good thing you confessed, Lightning," the Martian Manhunter told him. "I could sense the untruth in your sibling's words."

"It's nice to want to protect your brother," Superman remarked. "But lying only compounds things and makes them worse when the truth comes out in the end. And it always does."

Now Thunder looked genuinely guilty. "I am sorry for lying."

"Are you going to punish us?" Lightning asked nervously.

"We should," Batman replied frankly. "When you're guests in someone's home, you don't go poking and prodding where you don't belong, especially when that home is also a highly-sophisticated means of defense."

"Hey, cut them some slack, they didn't mean it!" Beast Boy piped up, trying to hide the torn sleeve of his uniform.

"Yeah, everything's cool now, anyway," Cyborg chimed in like he wasn't standing knee-deep in smoking ruin and plaster chunks as big as his head.

"This place looks like a disaster area," Hawkgirl commented dryly. "I think if you two stick around and help the Titans clean up the mess, we can call it even."

Lightning frowned. "Clean?"

Thunder covered his brother's mouth. "We will help clean. Thank you."

And they did. Some damage (like blown out walls) is going to take more than a couple of days to deal with, but at least the place is livable in the meantime. Before they left, both of the boys apologized again, but this time to us. We accepted. I mean, it wasn't really deliberate, and they DID spend all day helping us fix it up. Besides, I think personally having to face the Justice League firing squad is punishment enough for any kid.

As a sideline to the above story, Batman did some checking around to see if he could find any adults willing to spend some 'quality' time with Thunder and Lightning (since they have no living parents that they know of) and help them to practice with their powers in safe, controlled environments under supervision so that they won't so often go looking for the 'fun' of using them where they shouldn't. He came up with two volunteers who seem perfectly suited to the job – Ororo Munroe (Storm, known as a Goddess in her homeland) and Thor, the Norse God of Thunder. They both have weather-controlling powers of their own, and feel a strong affinity for Thunder and Lightning. In fact, Thor thinks they might be deities themselves from another dimension or time, a prospect that scares even Batman!

End of Part 118

No characters here are mine.


	19. Chapter 119

Robin's Diary - Part 119

By Haruka

Here are a couple of posts from Mystique on the adults' list. Things with she and Scott got bad enough that she decided to do something about it:

Well, it's starting. I had to take over Storm's training session at Xavier's this morning and Cyclops (Scott) tested me every step of the way. He questioned my strategy, argued with the difficulty level, debated my choice of blocks and hazards, and then finally outright undermined my authority when I said that the session was over. He said there were a couple of areas where they could make  
improvements and they would stay a little longer to get them right. I gave him a firm, direct look and said we'd work on those areas tomorrow. Then I turned to leave and the other kids started following me.

Cyclops called them back. He said something like, "X-Men! We're not through here!"

The poor kids stopped and looked between the two of us like they didn't know who to listen to, and how could they? I was their adult instructor for the practice, but Cyclops is their leader. And I could tell from the way he had his arms folded across his chest that he didn't plan on backing off.

I know I could have forced the issue. As the adult, my word was Law. But Cyclops was testing me, and I decided to give him exactly what he wanted.

"It's almost time for breakfast and then you all have to get ready for school. Anyone who wants to stay here with Cyclops and continue the practice may do so, but it is not mandatory."

And I left. By the time I got down to breakfast, I noticed that Kurt, Kitty, and St. John (Pyro, new addition) had come down to eat, but Cyclops, Jean, and Rogue were still in the Danger Room. They hadn't joined us by the time we left, so Lord only knows whether they ate anything at all. Not my problem.

Mystique

* * *

I don't know if I made things better or worse, but, well, here's what I did.

I said earlier that I had an idea. Scott has so much resentment towards me, and he's not allowed to express it. That's why it's coming out in stupid ways, like what happened in the training session. So I decided to give him a chance to do what he's been wanting to do all along.

Beat the crap out of me.

I went to Scott and offered him the chance to fight me one-on-one (only this time, he'd actually be able to keep his eyes open ...) We'd get Hank to ref, so he wouldn't be able to accuse anyone of being biased. The only rule was: No powers. I couldn't shapeshift and he couldn't blast me through the wall. Hand-to-hand combat only.

He agreed.

I knew it was going to be a tough fight. After all, Scott had been one of my strongest opponents even when he fought me blind! And I was offering him the chance of a lifetime. I knew he wouldn't waste it. But what I didn't expect was how much BETTER he'd gotten since we last faced off. The boy has been seriously training, and I had to wonder if he'd been planning to be better prepared in case he ever got a second shot at me (or in case I ever kidnapped him again.) I guess I can't blame him.

Even with Scott's training, I have decades more experience than he does, so I wasn't TOO worried about getting seriously hurt. I guess I underestimated the depths of his anger towards me. He was angry enough NOT to let it show (does that make sense?) What I mean is, he didn't just strike out blindly (no joke intended) or furiously. Every move and countermove he made was calculated, well-planned, and expertly timed. I only wish I could have taken the credit for training him myself.

I started out thinking I might have to hold back in order to let him get some good shots in. Wrong. The very FIRST thing he did was break my nose. It was fast, strong, and completely un-Scott-like (or so I thought.) But maybe he'd learned the hard way that the only way to win against me was to be as vicious as I was. Good boy.

Did he win? I guess that depends on how he sees it. I'm alive. He seriously hurt me, and more than once. He broke bones and made me bleed, but I hurt him back (what, you thought I'd just stand there? I'm too fond of my own skin for that! ;) But at least this time, my conscience was clear. It was a fair fight, and no matter who broke what on whom, we both had an equal shot on neutral territory with an unbiased observer (who didn't look too happy at the cracking of bone, cries of pain, or splattering blood.)

Somewhere around the time I crushed Scott's foot and he kneecapped me, Hank declared a draw. Neither of us could stand after that, anyway, and my broken nose and ribs were making it hard to breathe.

Right around then was when Logan and Charles showed up (I think Logan had smelled the blood.) They were both rather upset. Okay, VERY upset. I spat out a tooth and told them it was entirely my idea.

Then I blacked out.

I woke up in pain, and a lot of it. I knew I could fix it all by shapeshifting, but Scott wasn't much better off than I was, and it wouldn't be fair, so I said I'd stay as is until he healed. Logan called me an idiot and said that Charles was flying in a mutant with healing power, even though neither of us deserved it. I heard a yelp from nearby and looked over to see Scott being laid on the next bed (I realized finally that we were in the mansion's infirmary.) He looked over at me at the same time.

"Thanks," he said through swollen lips.

I tried to nod, but Logan was holding my head still so I wouldn't start the blood flowing from my nose again. I'm sure all the men thought we were nuts, but I think finally, at least a little, Scott and I have reached a level of mutual respect.

The healer came about twenty minutes ago and took care of Scott. Once I knew that, I was able to shapeshift and heal my own injuries (thank GOD!)

Mystique

* * *

Scott wrote his own version of the story:

Hey there, it's me, Scott. Kurt and Rogue were right, I wasn't up to writing about this earlier, mostly because it's hard to type with three broken fingers, a broken wrist, and dislocated shoulder.

Mystique came earlier tonight and offered me the chance to fight her, just the two of us, in one-on-one physical combat, no powers. I jumped at the chance. The last time we'd fought like this, I'd been blind, and at a severe disadvantage (although I still managed to hurt her.) This time, we had complete freedom on a fair field (the Danger Room, programmed as if for a martial arts practice session.) Hank was to be our referee, but I don't think he knew quite what he was getting into.

This was an all-out battle and I fought to win. I drew first blood right from the outset, taking her by surprise (I broke her nose.) It felt so good that I followed it up with a leg sweep that hit her in the side of the head and knocked her down. But of course, Mystique is tough as nails, and she didn't STAY down.

I'll spare you all the bloody details (and I DO mean bloody) but while we didn't exactly fight to a stand-still, we fought to a no-stand. Basically, neither of us were ABLE to stand anymore. Every bone in my left foot had been crushed, and I had shattered her kneecap. We were broken and bleeding and having trouble breathing. She had wisely left my eyes untouched (after all, if you hit my eyes, they're going to hit BACK) so at least they weren't swollen and hurting, but they were about the only part of me I can say that about. And Mystique looked horrible. If I looked that bad, I'm amazed I was still conscious. As it turned out, though, she blacked out first, right after telling Logan and the Professor (who burst into the scene) that it was all her idea.

I next saw her in the infirmary, when they were putting me onto a bed (Every. Single. Movement. HURT!) We made eye contact and I told her 'Thanks.' I think she understood, even if no one else did.

They said they had contacted a healing mutant who was coming to help me out and Logan was trying to talk Mystique into shifting so she'd be okay again. She refused - she said she'd wait for the healer to fix me first. And she did.

I guess I'm going to have to start letting some of my guards down around her after all now. She didn't have to do this, any of it. I still can't believe she did. It would have been easier for her to get rid of me in so many different ways, if that's what she really wanted, than to go through this. So I don't know exactly where this leaves us on a personal level. I can't say we're friends now or anything, and maybe we never will be. But I'll admit this much - she's finally earned some respect from me.

Scott

* * *

Another one from Scott. It looks like he and Mystique have reached an understanding:

Today at school during lunch, I went to Mystique's office to talk to her. I felt I had to - I needed to find out why she came to me with her offer last night, so I asked her.

She didn't answer right away, but finally she looked up at me seriously and said, "You wouldn't be satisfied with anything less, Scott. You had all that anger and resentment churning inside you anytime I was around, and it was coming out in a number of small - and not so small - ways that were bound to get you into trouble with the men of the household before long. If _that_ happened, it would be one more thing you would blame me for. It was all bad enough already and last night was the only way I could think of that would allow you to take that anger out on the one who deserved it without any repercussions for you."

"Okay ...," I said slowly, trying to digest all that. "But that doesn't explain why you didn't shapeshift as soon as the fight was over so you could heal yourself. You had to have been in terrible pain."

"So were you," she said with a shrug. "It was only fair."

I guess my face must have shown my surprise at that because she gave a wry smile and added, "I _am_ learning fair play, Scott. I've learned a lot of things in the past few months. I'm Principal of this wonderful school for young HEROES no less, I'm an Instructor at Xavier's, a full-time mother to Kurt and Rogue, and a loving mate for Logan. I've got enough money squirreled away for two lifetimes. Do you seriously, honestly think that I'm going to throw that all away and go back to dodging bullets as a double agent or assassin?"

When she put it that way, it did sound pretty stupid. "But what about your personal grudges?" I asked. "What about what I did to you in Area 51?"

"I think we're square on THAT one, Scott," she said dryly. "I'd really rather not even think about it anymore. I'm not proud of what I did to Charles and the Institute, and I'm even less proud of what I did to you in Mexico. I wish I could take it back, but I can't. All I can do is try to move forward."

I had heard a lot of this before, but I never really listened to her. I didn't have a reason to. But after last night, I didn't see where I could ignore what she was saying anymore.

"I guess the least I can do is stop making it harder for you," I said finally. I held out my hand toward her. "Truce?"

She smiled, and I realized with a start how beautiful she really was. How had I not noticed that? She grasped my hand firmly and shook it. "Truce," she said. (And yes, she released my hand - we didn't end up arm wrestling. ;)

Scott

End of Part 119

No characters here are mine.


	20. Chapter 120

Robin's Diary - Part 120

By Haruka

Mystique's been having trouble with another kid at Xavier's – one with which she shares some Brotherhood history:

I was the adult in charge of breakfast today, and I guess it's a good thing I was there, but at the same time ... I just wish it hadn't happened.

It was still a little early, and not all the kids were down yet. Scott, Jean, Kurt, Sam Guthrie (Cannonball), and Amara (remember her from Logan's Gap story?) were in the kitchen with me. Kurt had turned up the television mounted in one corner of the room near the ceiling, but had changed it from the news I was listening to over to the music channel. I pushed down the lever on the toaster and was about to tell him to change it back when we heard the sounds of a commotion in the hallway. Before any of us could even begin to make a move in that direction, Jean said, "It's John and Jamie - something's wrong!" (ah, psychics.)

Scott and I both started over when the other two (well, actually, five) boys ran into the room. One of the five was St. John, and he looked angry. The other four were Jamie Madrox, our youngest mutant at the Institute at twelve years old. How could there be four of him? His codename is Multiple, and when he banged or bumped or handled roughly, he 'multiplies' with extra copies of himself that can all act independently of each other, but are all still Jamie, so that when he brings them back into himself, he retains their memories. And right now, all those Jamies were having a great time playing 'keep away' with St. John's lighter.

Ever take a bone away from a dog and seen the reaction? Same thing. That lighter isn't just the catalyst for John's power, it's almost like a security blanket. It's silver, but with a custom paint job that makes it look like a shark (the lid flipping up makes it look like the tooth-filled mouth opens.) He's never seen without it.

Jamie wasn't here the first time John was, and I guess he hasn't learned yet not to mess with him too much, because while it was all a game to the little boy, it was deadly serious to John, and we all knew it. Several things happened at once. Scott and I both yelled at Jamie to knock it off, Jean used her telekinesis to grab the lighter out of mid-air to send it to John, but John had already noticed the toaster and used his power to turn a tiny spark of toast on the coils into a pillar of fire that engulfed the toaster and flared up to spread across the ceiling!

All the Jamies screamed and fled, thinking the fire was heading straight for them (and I honestly didn't know that it wasn't. Strangers who have messed with John's lighter before have gotten seriously hurt, but I've never seen him attack an Institute kid.)

I was just starting to scream at John to get rid of the fire when it fizzled down to nothing. From the surprised look on his face, I knew he hadn't done it, and we all turned toward Amara, who had changed to her Magma form (she basically looks like a girl on fire from head to foot. Her power is different than St. John's - she can both control and CREATE fire.) The look he gave her was definitely not friendly.

I could hear Logan's voice in the hallway demanding answers from Jamie (since he slept on the couch *ahem* he was closer to the kitchen than usual.) I looked out into the hallway and motioned him over, giving him a quick run-down of what happened and asking him to handle things in the kitchen while I talked to John. I turned back just in time to see John retrieving his lighter, which meant I was free to take him away, which I did (none too gently, I might add.)

As soon as we were alone in another room, I turned him to face me and shook him, hard. "What the HELL did you think you were doing in there?! The kid was only teasing you, he would have given it back, and you have to ignite the kitchen?! Have you gone crazy?!" (Okay, so I wasn't exactly big on gentle coaxing, but I've seen what this boy can do and it could have gotten much worse, very quickly.)

John tried to pull away from me and I let him. He turned away. "I wasn't going to burn him. It was just a warning."

"You want to talk warnings, John? THIS is a warning!" I grabbed his arm and gave him a good solid whack on the backside. It drove him onto his toes, and he looked at me with wide, hurt eyes like I'd tried to murder him. I'd never struck him before.

"Mystique," he started, but I interrupted.

"NO, John, I mean it! That is just a small sample of what you're going to get if anything like this happens again, only next time you'll be bare-bottomed and feeling the flat of my hand a LOT more than just once!" I took his face in both hands and sighed. "Kid, you've got one of the more dangerous mutant powers around here, and what's worse, you don't care what you do with it. Worse than THAT, is that I'm partly responsible because of everything I taught you when you and I were with Magneto. Things have changed, John. _I've_ changed, and if you're going to stay here, you have to change, too, at least in the ways that will cause harm to others and ultimately yourself."

He frowned and pulled away again. "I thought this was all an act."

"I'm sorry. It isn't. I'm very serious about this. I love working here and at Hero High, I love my family, and I love you kids. It was a long time coming, I'll admit, but I believe in Xavier's dream and I want to help it be realized."

"You gave up," he said flatly.

"I WISED up," I corrected. "So did Erik, in case you're wondering. You must have heard the other kids say that he's working at Hero High now, and trying to be a good father to his kids."

Bad move on my part, mentioning Erik's children. John's frown deepened to a scowl. I think our theory was right, and he's not only jealous of mine, but Erik's, too.

Impulsively, I hugged him against me. "John, I love you as much as if you were my own. We have a lot in common, you and I, and you've got a world of potential. If you could just let go of some of this anger and let us care about you -"

"I DID that once and you left to go back to THEM!" he cried, trying to wrestle away from me. I wouldn't let him, I tightened my hug. "So did Magneto! You both DUMPED me!" It sounded like he was starting to cry, and I knew he'd hate that, but I continued to hold on until I could feel his struggles lessening and the sobs starting to rack his body.

"We didn't dump you," I said softly, stroking his hair. "You didn't want to come with either of us when you found out where we were going. You ran away from us."

"You would have forgotten about me, anyway," he muttered, sniffling into my shoulder.

"You never gave us a chance to prove otherwise." I pulled back and cupped his face once more. God, he looked so much less a tough punk and more a lost child when he was crying. "Erik is concerned about you as well, but it's me you're going to be living with now, and I want to be as much of a mother to you as you'll let me. You don't have to resent Kurt or Rogue for their relationship to me. I love them dearly and we're much better together now, but you're the only one who accepted me for everything I was without expecting me to change anything about myself. That means a lot to me." I sighed. "And I accept you, St. John Allerdyce, for everything YOU are. You can keep your tough-guy attitude and flick your lighter all you want - I just can't allow you to hurt people anymore."

He seemed to think about it, really think about it. Finally, he regarded me seriously. "I want to stay with you. I'm still not sure you weren't right before, though, when you said mutants were superior."

"We're gifted, not superior," I told him. "And when someone gives you a gift, you're obligated to show your appreciation by using it to benefit others who weren't so fortunate."

He made a face. "Mystique, that is so corny. You really believe that?"

"I do now," I said, then grinned and winked, "It doesn't mean we can't have fun with our gifts at the same time. So long as no one gets hurt, and that includes property damage. Unless, of course, you plan on paying for the stuff you burn up."

He made a rude noise and gave me his crooked grin. "Not likely."

"Then you'll be paying for it with your hide, kiddo, if something like that -" I pointed to the kitchen, "ever happens again. Got it?"

"Okay, okay," he said, but his tone was good-natured. He looked at me with a hint of a smile. "Whatever you say, Mystique."

The toaster was a write-off, so there was nothing to be done about that. John gets to come help me shop for one (he hates appliance shopping, but I think he'll like spending the time with me, so it's part-punishment, part-bonding.) The kitchen needs to be washed down (smoke damage) and re-painted - he'll be helping with that, too, whether he likes it or not. The other kids who were there have offered to help him, including Jamie, who apologized for taking the lighter (I think Logan had a nice long chat with him while John and I were occupied.) And with Multiple's power, we can fill the kitchen with Jamies and get the clean-up done that much more quickly.

Step one accomplished. Let's see how the rest of it goes.

Mystique

End of Part 120

No characters here are mine.


	21. Chapter 121

Robin's Diary - Part 121

By Haruka

Scott told us about a big problem he earned from drag racing:

I'm in trouble. I may not have mentioned it before, but I've got a beautiful and expensive convertible that the Professor gifted me with when I turned sixteen last year. Or maybe I should say, this is about the second or third version of that first car, but they're all the same make and colour (my cars have a tendency to get wrecked anytime a mutant fight happens in the vicinity. For example, once Logan's motorcycle landed on top of it. -_-;)

Anyway, not only is my car gorgeous, but it's made for racing. Goes fast, even has racing stripes painted on the side. However, racing isn't my bag. I'm a steady kinda guy, and I take road safety seriously (I know, Kurt, I know, I take EVERYTHING seriously.) But today, I was goaded into drag racing.

This rich snob named Duncan Matthews used to date Jean. He used to love the fact that he could rub my nose in that. Now, of course, she's mine, and he hates me for it (like he didn't hate me before.) So today, we both pull up to the same red light. Naturally, Duncan has an expensive car himself, and when we looked at each other, you just knew we weren't going to get out of that intersection at the speed limit. It just wasn't possible. He revved his engine, I revved mine, and then the light turned green. Good thing no one got in our way - we fired down the road at breakneck speed.

I shudder to think of what could have happened if some old lady had been crossing the road, because we stopped looking at crosswalk lights or red lights or stop signs ... yeah, we were completely irresponsible idiots.

Then in the distance, I heard a siren. A few moments later, I saw the flashing lights. Duncan must have seen them, too, because he took a turn-off and was gone before the cop caught up to us. Or rather, me. I wasn't going to try and race a police car (thank goodness I had THAT much sense.)

I guess I'm lucky that I didn't get hauled into the station for the kind of crazy driving I was doing, but instead he gave me a whopping speeding ticket (more than I ever knew was possible to receive!) and told me it would have to be paid AT the station in person, and I would have to bring an adult with me to sign something.

So here I sit with a speeding ticket that's higher than the national debt, and I have to ask one of the adults here to not only pay it (I sure don't have that kind of money!), but to accompany me to the station.

My choices are:

Professor Xavier - I'd rather eat glass than tell him about this. More than anything, I hate disappointing him.

Hank - He's the one I would prefer to tell, if only because he doesn't shout and his lecture would probably go right over my head (Hank is big on Shakespeare quotes and big words. I'm smart, but even I have trouble keeping up with him.) Only problem is, if he decides to spank me for this, his hands are the size of baseball mitts. Not a pleasant thought. Plus, I don't think he has THIS much money just floating around loose.

Logan - *gulp*

Mystique - I'd be asking her for a FAVOUR. I'm not sure I'm ready to do that. I'm not even sure I have the RIGHT to do that, considering how I was acting with her before.

Ororo isn't home - she's at the Public Gardens working with Thunder and Lightning today. I could wait until she gets back, I guess, but like Hank, I'm not sure she's got that kind of money kicking around. She would probably insist on telling Professor X, too.

I only have three days to pay the ticket, so I can't waste any time, and I think I'd be insane from worry if I had to wait much longer, anyway.

And in the meantime, Duncan Matthews gets off scot-free. He's probably laughing at me. The jerk.

Scott

* * *

What ended up happening was that Remy LeBeau offered to pose as Scott's uncle at the police station and pay off his ticket with money he'd made in … various ways. They pulled it off with no problem – until another parent from the adults' list spotted them in the station while he was bringing in a criminal and relayed the info to the others. After giving Scott the third degree and getting the truth out of him, Mystique left him alone for a while, then went back to deal with him. Here's Scott's continuing story:

Mystique came in and shut my bedroom door in St. John's face (telling him to get out of the hallway and stop listening or else.) I was sitting on my bed, and she walked over to my desk and leaned back against it, folding her arms (I recognized this as her favorite 'Principal Darkholme' position that I've seen her use at school in her office.)

"Okay Scott," she said, "we both know you can't get out of this unpunished, and since I'm the one who found out about it first, it falls to me whether you like it or not."

I swallowed. "Okay."

"You've owned a car long enough to know that it's not a toy. Kurt rides with you all the time, and I'd like to think that my son is in safe hands when he's in your car." She paused, then met my eyes. "And after all you've been through in your short life, all the incredible situations you've survived, I'd hate to see you die in a stupid, senseless car wreck."

"Thanks," I said.

She nodded then took a deep breath. "First, the car. It goes without saying that you won't be driving for a while, so I want the keys."

I handed them over reluctantly. "For how long?"

"For two weeks you're driving nothing, not even the X-Van. After that, you can drive other vehicles, but you don't get _these_ back for a month."

Ouch. "I guess that's fair," I said.

"It's not only fair, it's generous," she replied frankly. "As for the money, you've got to pay that back."

"I know that," I retorted, and it came out sounding a little more lippy than I meant it to. "I'm sorry," I added quickly.

The dangerous look that had come into her yellow eyes left them slowly. "All right," she accepted the apology. "Back to the money. I know it came from Remy and Lord only knows where he got it. You're going to earn the amount back. If Erik concludes that Remy made the money legitimately, it will be returned to him. If not, then I'm sure Erik and I can decide on a way to put it to good use."

I really didn't want to ask the next question. "How am I going to earn it?"

"How do you think? Get a part-time job. I hear Burger Barn is hiring."

Desperately, I asked, "How will I have time for school, training sessions, homework, AND a job, Mystique?"

"You forgot to mention 'a social life'," she pointed out. "And THAT'S the part you sacrifice."

Right about then I decided that the first thing I would do when I got my car back was run down Duncan Matthews.

"So we've covered the car and the money," Mystique went on and her tone changed suddenly, "Now we come to the lying."

Why did I have a terrible feeling that she'd saved the worst for last? Because she had.

"You're one of the most honest kids I've ever known, Scott, and that's a fine quality. If I see you slip in that department, I'm going to call you on it because it's too damned important that you stay that way. I hate to lay the 'good example' line on you, but it's true and we can't avoid it. The other kids look to you for leadership and guidance, and if Remy found out about your situation then there's no doubt in my mind that all the kids on that list know about it, including Kurt and Rogue." She sighed. "So I'm going to come down hard on you, and you're going to tell them about it. And you're going to be a good example to them and learn from it yourself and never be tempted to lie in a situation like this again."

I don't know where she'd been hiding it, but she produced a hairbrush. It looked heavy in her hand – I could only imagine how it would feel applied where it was going.

"I don't know if you've ever been spanked with one of these, Scott, but I assure you, it's not as harmless as it looks," she said, then straightened up. "Get up, pants and underwear down, then bend over."

I was so grateful that she wasn't planning to take me over her knee that I didn't hesitate to do as she said. It's not like it would have helped, anyway.

I had second thoughts after facing the wall and baring my backside, though. That part of my brain that thought in self-defense mode reminded me that not only was Mystique my enemy until recently, but now I was naked and turning my back on her. I told that part of my brain to shut up and braced myself. "I'm ready," I said, even though it wasn't really true.

She was right about the hairbrush – it wasn't harmless. It was a device of torture, probably a favorite of the Spanish Inquisitors. And if it wasn't, it should have been. It stung, focusing the blows in a small area at a time, but with more intensity than a paddle. The shape of the brush and its short handle allowed her to fit it exactly where she wanted (like directly across my undercurves or in horizontal lines from the top of my buttocks down. I think my thighs felt the sting worse than anything, especially as I was bent over so they were stretched tightly. It took all I had not to go up on my toes. No, I amend that. It took half of all I had – the other half I had to put towards keeping the tears at bay. Because it hurt. Oh Lord, it hurt.

I didn't count the smacks. I never do. When you're seventeen and they usually go for your age, it just seems like it'll never end, anyway. Eventually, finally, she told me I could get dressed.

I did, avoiding her gaze. She had none of it, though, and walked around to where I had no choice but to face her.

"I'll say one thing for you, Scott," she remarked. "Whether you're getting your ass beaten in a Danger Room martial arts duel against me or here with a hairbrush, you do take your punishment like a man."

I winced and steadfastly refused the urge to rub my aching posterior. "You didn't beat me in that fight," I said with a wry grin.

She chuckled. "Okay, so we both got our asses beaten. But this one was all yours, kiddo, and you'd better have learned something from it."

"I did," I said seriously. "Thanks for taking care of it yourself and not telling the Professor."

She sighed. "He may find out anyway, Scott, and if he asks me a direct question, I won't lie to him."

"You'd better not," I answered, nodding at the brush, "it's not worth it."

So now I have to get a job to pay back money that Remy probably can't keep anyway, and I have no car to drive myself TO said job. But Mystique did me a favour by handling this herself, and I'm not going to forget it, nor am I going to take advantage of her generosity. I'll fulfill the terms of my punishment without complaint (well, not TOO much, anyway. ;)

Scott

End of Part 121

No characters here are mine.


	22. Chapter 122

Robin's Diary - Part 122

By Haruka

As it turned out, Scott _did_ get a new job, but it wasn't what anyone expected. Here's what Kurt had to say about it:

Oh man, you guys won't BELIEVE this! Scott got that job that Jean urged him to try out for at the mall, and get this: It's a MODELLING job! One of the big store chains was auditioning kids to do magazine ads and runway shows for their locations around the Bayville/New York area and not only did they hire Scott, but when they got a look at Jean waiting for him they asked her to do some try-out photos and ended up hiring both of them! Scott's still embarrassed over the whole thing which is why I'm telling you about it, but I think it's awesome!

Oh, and they needed an adult to hustle down there and sign the contracts for them, so Mother did it (without even talking to the Professor about it - hope she doesn't get into any trouble for that.)

Kurt

* * *

I went away for a couple of days, and when I returned, I found that there had been some weird weather occurrences the day before. First rain, then sun, then rain, then sun, over and over again in a really short span of time! Apparently, it was Lightning and Thunder's fault - they thought it would be fun to rain out a public concert (plus I don't think they liked the classical music) in Central Park. When they did that, Storm stopped them by clearing it up, but they just started it over again, and well, you get the picture.

Beast Boy called up Thunder to find out what happened after that and he said that Storm hauled them back to Hero High and switched them. OUCH! I'm feeling sympathy pains here, I HATED being switched. And I guess Storm favours the switch because it comes from nature. Thunder said he was taken first, and while he was receiving his punishment, Lightning lit out of there! Storm had to chase him over half the city before she caught up to him, and I guess what happened after that wasn't pretty (she didn't even bother bringing him back to school before punishing him, so Lord only knows where they were when she caught and switched him.) Thunder says his brother was pretty miserable by the time she brought his sorry butt back to their room.

Later, I found out a little more on what happened after Lightning's 'escape.' According to Thunder, Lightning managed to avoid Storm for a pretty long time before she finally caught up to him, but I guess by then, she was even angrier than she'd been before. They actually ended up right back in Central Park, and Lightning tried to hide under the stage where the very concert had been taking place that he and his brother rained out. Storm caught him and switched him right there, bent over the apron of the stage. I guess Lightning is like Kurt and kind of noisy when he gets spanked, because by the time they were done and he was allowed to get up, he was horrified to see that they'd gathered a crowd, all sitting in the chairs still left for the symphony audience! I feel sorry for him, but he pretty much brought it on himself.

* * *

There's trouble between Mystique and Scott again, only this time it's a misunderstanding. Mystique posted this on the adult list:

I hate to report this, but only a week after I forbade Scott from using his car, he had the nerve to drive right up the driveway in it with me standing at the foot of the porch. He offered no excuses, just stared at the ground and apologized.

I'm so angry I don't know what to do. I should probably tell Charles, since it's obvious Scott doesn't respect me enough to obey the terms of his punishment longer than a few days, but damn it, that's just too much like failure to me. I guess I'll have to punish him again, and be more severe. This really bothers me, I thought we'd made some progress. I guess I was wrong.

Mystique

* * *

And here's Scott's version with the details:

I'm officially in major hot water.

It started earlier this evening when I was walking home from a friend's house, heading for the bus stop (because, of course, I'm still not allowed to drive my car.) I was passing Dairy Queen when I noticed a familiar car in the crowded parking lot - it was MINE.

I went over and saw St. John Allerdyce sitting in the driver's seat, calmly drinking a shake and eating a burger. I wanted to smack him in the back of the head, only he'd end up spraying that shake all over my car. So I grabbed it out of his hand and asked him what the hell he was doing.

John didn't even have the grace to look embarrassed at being caught in a stolen car. He gave his trademark smirk and said, "Hey, it's not like YOU'RE going to be using it for a while."

I had a problem. I didn't want to have to call the mansion and tell them that someone needed to come pick up the car. If I did that, I might as well just come out and tattle on John, and that's something we kids don't do to each other there. It's especially worse with me, being the eldest and the leader, I've already been labelled as Mr. Military, so even though I don't snitch, I sometimes get treated as though I'd be more likely to do so than others.

The only alternative was breaking the terms of my punishment and driving the car home. I certainly wasn't going to let John stay behind the wheel, so I had no choice.

"Move over, we're taking the car home." I opened the driver's door.

John shrugged but instead of sliding across the seat, he got out of the car. "You can take it back, but I'm not ready to go yet."

I couldn't force him to come with me, so again, I had no choice. I left without him and drove the car straight home.

I don't know if it was really bad timing that had Mystique coming out of the mansion when I pulled up or if she had already discovered the car missing and naturally assumed I'd taken it. Either way, she was there and I was caught red-handed with the goods.

I couldn't do more than apologize to her (I couldn't meet her eyes, either.) She was justifiably furious and disappointed in me and let me know that the only reason I wasn't being punished immediately was because she wanted to calm down first.

I don't know if she's going to tell the Professor or not. I hate that she thinks I disobeyed her, but what can I do without selling out John (who came home by bus and said nothing to help me out.) I know that means I shouldn't hold back and should just tell the truth, but that's not the way John and the other kids will see it. I'll be a traitor, an informant, and they'll all hate me for it.

I guess I'm in for it.

Scott

* * *

He was wrong. Thanks to Kurt, who bullied a confession out of John by teleporting him up to the roof and leaving him there until he agreed to tell Mother the truth (it took three hours), Scott got off with just a lecture about lying by omission. John ended up being spanked instead (and deservedly so, I think.)

End of Part 122

No characters here are mine.


	23. Chapter 123

Robin's Diary - Part 123

By Haruka

Lightning has run away.

I still can't believe he'd leave his brother, but it was Thunder who found the note he left, saying that he knows he's nothing but trouble and is always getting his brother into it, too (apparently it was his idea to rain out the concert) and after all the kindness that has been shown to him what with being allowed to live in Hero High and Storm and Thor doing their best as stand-in parents, he feels everyone would be better off without him.

He asks that Thunder not look for him, but obviously THAT'S not happening, and all of Hero High will be putting out their best tracking skills today to try and find that idiot before he runs into REAL trouble. Me, my first thought is how Slade might still be out there, and it was Slade using Thunder and Lightning as pawns that first brought he and I together in person for our first fight. We all know Slade hates to lose, and he might see Lightning as another possession that he lost control of, like me.

I just want to find him. And fast.

Well, it wasn't exactly fast but at least we found him within 24 hours. Or rather, he found _us_. Everyone had been searching all day, covering ground and air, but we weren't finding any clues. Finally I remembered that the one thing that can always bring Lightning running was any kind of exciting, beautiful light show. So we gathered as many fireworks as we could and set them off on the back lawn of Wayne Manor. Sure enough, Lightning couldn't resist it and just before we were going to run out of fireworks (it took almost 45 minutes) he arrived on the scene. Thunder, Storm, and Thor were there in seconds, and the rest of us just left them alone to talk (although I had Impulse zwip in to plant a tracking device on Lightning's tunic just in case he decided to leave again.) In the end, he went back to Hero High with them. Case closed, a nice reunion, and we missed a day of school – not bad!

* * *

We had a 'weird food combo' contest on the list. In my effort to win, I put together various things from our kitchen when Alfred wasn't around (however, I still had to deal with stuff that Alfred stocks in our pantry.) In the end, I put together a mixture of blood pudding, caviar, M & M's (those came from a hiding place in my room), and sprinkled bran over the top.

You have to understand something – Alfred has been giving me blood pudding for five years. When I was younger, I asked if there was really blood in it, and he said, "No, Master Dick, that's just the name."

Last night, AFTER eating my concoction, I decided to finally look up the ingredients of blood pudding on the net. Well, let's just say that it's exactly what it says it is.

I spent the rest of the night and most of today throwing it up and plotting revenge against Alfred.

Stage one has already begun. I went to Bruce and Alfred and admitted that I didn't know what had made me sick - all I'd eaten was a peanut butter sandwich. I went on to tell him that it wasn't the first time that food I'd always been able to eat had made me sick lately - just about the only thing that didn't bother me was Alfred's blood pudding.

Stage two begins tomorrow, when I go to school in dark glasses and keeping out of the sun as much as possible, as if it bothers me. I'll avoid open windows at school and will be sure to ONLY be seen eating blood pudding (or at least, something that looks like it ...) When I get home, I'll pull my bedroom blinds.

Stage three is a beautiful web page I'm in the middle of designing. The topic of the webpage (and it's going to be set up to look very scientific and legitimate) is on how studies have shown that a regular intake of blood can result in the physical aspects of vampirism. I'll make sure to surf the net on the living room computer for a while, leaving it on that webpage when I leave the room. Bruce or Alfred are sure to see it.

Stage four - I show up in Alfred's bedroom in the middle of the night wearing fake fangs. :)

So far so good on the revenge front. I went to breakfast (which I didn't eat - I'd already sneaked food before going down) in dark glasses (over my mask) and avoided windows, pulling my cape around my face to shield it all the way to school in the limo.

Once in school Rogue helped me out with the makeup touches in the student lounge (she even added this powder to my skin to make me look more pale) and I've continued avoiding windows and refuse to remove the glasses. Kurt 'accidentally' flashed his rosary at me and I reacted by crying out and shielding my face. And unbeknownst to me, Impulse went to Batman and asked if something was wrong with me, because he'd gotten a paper cut and says that even though I know about his accelerated healing, I asked if I could lick it better! (thanks, Imp!)

People are really starting to stare at me now, students and teachers alike, ha ha!

End of Part 123

No characters here are mine.


	24. Chapter 124

Robin's Diary - Part 124

By Haruka

I'm trying hard not to giggle as I type this, but my revenge went off beautifully! I sneaked into Alfred's bedroom and he woke up to find me leaning over him with vampire fangs. He _screamed_, it was amazing! Bruce tore in at the sound of it, and when he saw me laughing (I couldn't help it), he promptly yanked me over his knees and was about to start whaling on my butt when I finally got his attention with my yelling about how it was payback for all the years of blood pudding. After that, they actually listened to what I was saying and I SWEAR I saw Bruce's lips twitch like he was trying not to smile. Alfred definitely wasn't smiling (after all, I'd made him scream, and proper English gentlemen don't scream) but at least no one is spanking me tonight. We'll see what happens in the morning, but no matter what, I think it was worth it!

Alfred apologized to ME this morning for having lied about the blood pudding ingredients. He swears he'll never serve it again so long as I promise never to enter his bedroom again at night to pull another stunt like this. He says I'm lucky that he recognized me before he did something to hurt me as he would any other intruder (and while Alfred may not be young anymore, he _was_ British Secret Service so he knows how to hurt someone if he wants to.) I feel a little sheepish about that, but all in all, I'm happy with the results.

* * *

Scott's first runway show as a model took place in Bayville Mall today, and he posted this before it started:

A friend of mine just called me to tell me that Duncan Matthews saw my billboard (and the ad about the runway show) and plans to show up with a bunch of his football team buddies to throw eggs at me and otherwise humiliate me. If I was nervous before, NOW I'm about ready to throw up! I don't want to tell Jean, because she's nervous, too, but I did tell the other kids here and they're planning to keep an eye out for Duncan and company.

Scott

* * *

Unquote. Remy offered to stand guard as well, and threatened to charge the football players' underwear if they start anything. In the end he didn't have to, there were enough kids from the Institute there to keep an eye on Duncan and make sure he didn't try anything. Scott was relieved, and he was also happy that this job gave him some money to start paying back Remy what he owed him.

* * *

I titled this entry 'A real life vampire', but is that a contradiction? Vampires aren't actually 'alive', after all. Oh well:

Bruce and I are in St. Louis (we came as Bruce and Dick, not Batman and Robin) and he just introduced me to his friend Jean-Claude a little while ago. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw him. It really showed me how feeble my attempt to play 'vampire' last night was.

Jean-Claude is around 400 years old, but looks as young as the day he was changed (in his twenties, I believe.) He's ... breathtaking. He 5'11", and has jet black hair that falls in curls to his waist. His eyes are midnight blue, probably the deepest blue I've ever seen. He has a beautiful face - not handsome, but beautiful.

The clothes ... God, I haven't seen clothes like that except in period movies and here he is walking around in them like he does it all the time (Bruce says he does.) A dark blue velvet waistcoat trimmed in gold thread, an antique white shirt with lots of lace spilling out at the cuffs and a high-necked ruffled collar, and black pants that were all but hidden by shiny black leather boots that went all the way up his thighs (I noticed they were laced up the back.)

He has a romantic French accent and his voice alone is hypnotic - if I was old enough to really be interested in sex, I'd probably have begged for it just to hear him speak in that voice all night. It's bad enough that I think I sighed with joy when I heard his laugh.

He owns businesses and they do well - they must, he has a private jet, but I guess in 400 years, you learn how to acquire wealth. His main business is a strip club called Guilty Pleasures (Jean-Claude can feed off sexual energy as well as blood - it's a rare talent in vampires, but I'm told it has a downside. I've yet to discover what that can be.) I met one of his strippers, a werewolf named Jason who lives with him. He's really cute and almost as short as I am, even if he is years older. He looks like a California surfer, boy-next-door kind of guy with blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. He's really friendly (he was getting a little _too_ friendly until Jean-Claude told him my age, then he toned down the flirting. Note I say toned down, not turned off.) He's funny, too, has a great sense of humour. He's Jean-Claude's pomme-de-sang (his 'apple of blood', voluntary food on a daily basis.) Apparently, pommes-de-sang are very special, and the vampire who has one has to protect and care for him, give him gifts to show his appreciation, etc. Wolves are Jean-Claude's animal to call, which is why he has a werewolf for his pomme-de-sang.

Aw, darn, Bruce just told Jean-Claude no, I can't have a tour of the strip club. Dang. ;)

Robin

* * *

Hi guys, we're just heading home from St. Louis. I met another member of Jean-Claude's 'family' tonight named Nathaniel. It's hard to guage his age, all I can tell is that he's a teenager. He's extremely pretty (if I thought saying 'handsome' was hard with Jean-Claude's ethereal beauty, it's impossible with Nathaniel) but he's got broad shoulders, like he's still growing into them (they're about the only thing keeping him from looking too feminine.) He's about 5'6" and has a slender jaw, full lips, and eyes that are the colour of lilacs. His hair is unbelievable - it's a really rich mahogany colour and falls nearly to his _ankles_. I've never seen hair that long! He's very sweet, quieter than Jason, maybe because he's a wereleopard. Cool, huh? He's a stripper at Jean-Claude's club, too. Even though leopards aren't his animal to call, Jean-Claude takes care of Nathaniel as well as Jason.

Oh, and get this. Right after Nathaniel got home and Jean-Claude introduced us to him, he took him into the kitchen. I was sitting near the door, so while Jason made conversation with Bruce, I listened in on what was going on in the next room.

Jean-Claude: You went to that new club alone, did you not?

Nathaniel: I went with Cherry and Zane -

Jean-Claude: No, you did not. I spoke to Micah and he says that all of his leopards have been with him all evening. Except for you, and he believed you were here. You lied to me.

Nathaniel: (softly) I'm sorry, Jean-Claude. I wanted to go to the club and no one could go with me, and I knew you wouldn't let me go alone -

Jean-Claude: You are right, mon chaton, because you know what happens when you go out alone. It is for _your_ protection that we all watch out for you, you know this.

Nathaniel: Yes, I know. I'm sorry.

Jean-Claude: Sorry is not enough. If I let you get away with this disobedience, next time you could be lost to us forever. I will not allow that to happen. Go to your room and prepare yourself for punishment. I will be there after the guests have left.

I hate to say that I wish I could be a fly on that bedroom wall later, but I do.

End of Part 124

No characters here are mine.


	25. Chapter 125

Robin's Diary - Part 125

By Haruka

I couldn't help myself – I emailed Jason this morning to find out what happened with Nathaniel after we left (I felt kind of embarrassed, but I tried to phrase it so that I didn't sound totally like a weirdo.) As it turns out, Jason was more than accommodating and besides, he's the one who peeped in on the whole show.

Being a werewolf, he has exceptional hearing, so he knew when Jean-Claude had gone to Nathaniel's room, and sneaked there himself, moving the door open a crack so he could peek in.

He says that in the time since Nathaniel had been sent to his room, he had prepared for punishment like Jean-Claude instructed. In Nat's case, that means making sure that mass of hair is tied out of the way, and getting completely naked. Now, don't flip out, guys – you have to remember that not only are these supernatural creatures who are more comfortable naked than clothed, but they also have a different relationship with Jean-Claude than our parents have with us.

Jason says that Jean-Claude removed his own waistcoat as he approached the bed and laid it aside carefully. "Have you been thinking about what you did, Nathaniel?" he asked.

"Yes," the wereleopard answered. "I'm sorry I worried you, Jean-Claude. I shouldn't have gone out to the club alone."

"It was not only me you worried. Jason was afraid for you, and when I was forced to contact Micah, he and your pard were all frightened as well. You remember what happened the last time you went to a new club alone?"

"I was kidnapped and used as a message by your enemies to get to you."

Jean-Claude stopped by the bedside and looked down at Nathaniel, his dark blue eyes full of regret. "Seeing what they did to you, how I nearly lost you, it broke my heart, petit chaton. We must ensure that this does not happen again. Stand up."

Nathaniel obeyed, and Jean-Claude settled himself on the bed, back against the cushions. He made a gesture with his hand to indicate that Nathaniel should lay across his lap, and he did so, pulling his long, heavy braid aside so that it wouldn't obstruct the target his bare bottom made.

Jean-Claude lay his hand against Nathaniel's skin. "I am very angry with you, Nathaniel, you understand that, don't you?"

"Yes," the teenager whispered. From what I understand of what Jason told me, where Nat is concerned, it's important that when he's punished like this that he knows in no uncertain terms that Jean-Claude is upset with him. It's the only way it has any real effect on him because Jason says Nathaniel is a true submissive and likes to play punishment games with people for fun. But when Jean-Claude is genuinely angry with him, it's not fun at all, because he loves Jean-Claude very much and hates to upset him. It's a whole different ballgame.

Jean-Claude began to spank him. As a lycanthrope, Nathaniel has faster healing than regular people, so the initial spanking has to be made to count. And I guess Jean-Claude really made this one count. Jason says he was wincing and feeling sympathy pains himself as he watched Jean-Claude's hand descend on Nathaniel's bottom again and again, the room echoing with sharp smacks at every blow. Nathaniel started crying early on, probably more from guilt than pain, but after a while, I'm sure the pain must have been affecting him, because Jason said he began to squirm and kick, and by the time Jean-Claude rubbed his back and murmured some words of comfort in French, Nathaniel was sobbing his heart out.

Jason watched until Nathaniel sat up and was embraced tightly by Jean-Claude before he backed away from the door to give them some privacy. Apparently too late, though, because before he could get far, he heard Jean-Claude call out, "Jason, for eavesdropping you will go to your room and prepare for punishment."

Even _I_ could have told him you can't sneak around a vampire who can hear a whisper from across a crowded room. Silly wolf.

I found out what the real problem is with Nathaniel (other than his having had a horrible past before coming to live with Jean-Claude that included heroin abuse, prostitution and porn films.) His REAL problem is that he's so submissive, he doesn't know how to say 'no.' That's why they don't want him going off to clubs alone - if someone wants to do something - anything - with him, he'll say yes. And as a lycanthrope, he can take large doses of pain. It just isn't a healthy situation, so everyone is pretty much trying to save Nathaniel from himself. And since he loves and respects Jean-Claude so much, staying with him is what's worked best so far.

End of Part 125

No characters here are mine.


	26. Chapter 126

Robin's Diary - Part 126

By Haruka

We had a couple of new kids join the list. They're cousins, both members of the Souma family, which suffers from an unusual curse:

Good evening, I'm Souma Yuki and I'm 16 years old. Beside me is the thorn in my side known as my cousin, Souma Kyo.

Shut up! I can introduce myself! Yo, I'm Kyo, I'm 16, too, and don't listen to anything this damned rat says.

Yuki: Likewise. This stupid cat will just run off at the mouth, anyway. I apologize for this abrupt entrance - right now we're forced to use one computer because our guardian, Shigure, is using the other.

Kyo: Yeah, and in fact, we caught something that he wrote on it which was posted on another list. I think it's related to this one. Yuki and I might as well post it here, since he blathered all about us anyway (but we might make some corrections along the way, because Shigure is an idiot who doesn't know what he's talking about half the time.)

Yuki: True. Anyway, here's what Shigure said on the other list:

Hello everyone! My name is Souma Shigure. I'm 27 years old, and I'm new to this list. In fact, I'm new to this method of discipline. I've never considered myself a parent, despite having taken care of my younger cousins for a while now.

(Kyo: Well, he's fed us and put a roof over our heads. That's about it.)

I confess I've been rather lax in acting like the adult around here (I have a reputation for being easy-going and somewhat … goofy), but I want that to change, for their sakes. I want to give them a more normal homelife, something they've been lacking for a while now. I told the boys that I've reached my limit, and from now on, there'll be spankings received if they cause me grief. At the time of this writing, I don't think they believe me. *sigh*

(Yuki: Seriously, if you guys all knew Shigure like we do, you wouldn't believe him, either.)

It's not like I don't have a good example to follow. One of my two best friends (and cousins), Hatori, is a strict disciplinarian with the Souma children who come and go from the main house.

(Kyo: Okay, this is true. But Hatori's cool. He's a doctor.)

But then there's also Ayame, who doesn't know anything more about raising kids than I do. And it's _his_ little brother I'm caring for.

(Yuki: I refuse to talk about THAT person.)

(Kyo: Why? Because he's a flamoyant, effeminate weirdo and you're going to look just like him when you grow up?)

(Yuki: SHUT UP!)

Okay, let me try and start with more clarity on our background. We are all from the Souma family living in Japan. The Soumas are a HUGE family - large enough that we all don't even know each other. They all live on Souma property, but not all live within the gates of the main house. Only those who know about the Juunishi curse may live that close. I don't live at the main house, but rather in a place of my own, with three young cousins I've taken in.

I am one of the cursed ones, as are Hatori and Ayame, and the youngsters I live with; Ritsu (18), Yuki (16), and Kyo (16). The curse is that we are all possessed by the animal spirits of the Juunishi (Chinese zodiac), and when our bodies are weakened, or we are hugged by a member of the opposite sex, we transform into those animals.

It sounds funny at first, but it _is_ a curse to us. Even if we fall in love with a member of the opposite sex, we can never embrace them, not unless they're another Juunishi member (we don't transform when hugging each other.) This also goes for our parents, and not all mothers can deal with taking their newborn male child into their arms for the first time and having them change into a small strange animal. It doesn't always make for good inner-family relationships, and some of us, like Yuki and Kyo, are estranged from their parents because of it. We are also bound, as both Souma and Juunishi, to live under the rule of the head of the Souma family. Currently, that is Akito. He bears the weight of all our curses, and as such, is always ill and will die at a young age. We owe him our lives, but he can be … difficult to deal with sometimes.

(Kyo: He doesn't deal with me. He won't even acknowledge my existence.)

(Yuki: Consider yourself lucky.)

I guess I should tell you the legend of the Juunishi, so that you will understand some of our relationships better, especially that of Yuki and Kyo:

It is said that God told the animals that He was going to hold a banquet the next day and not to be late. The mischievous rat told the cat that the banquet would in fact be held the day after tomorrow. The next day, the rat rode on the back of the ox, and when they arrived at the banquet hall, the rat jumped off so that he landed at the front of the line and entered first. After him came the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar (who came last, because it was lazy.) The cat, who was tricked by the rat, didn't attend the banquet, and as a result, has never been a member of the Chinese zodiac.

I am possessed by the spirit of the dog. Ritsu is the monkey.

Yuki is the rat, and Kyo is the cat.

Their relationship is exactly what you might think it would be. They're constantly fighting. As the cat, Kyo is not allowed to enter the Souma main house, nor is he allowed to attend our annual New Year's banquet. He fully blames Yuki for his situation, because Yuki represents the rat that kept the cat from being part of the Juunishi. They're both trained in martial arts, but Yuki always wins whenever Kyo attacks him, which only intensifies his resentment of him.

Now, personally, I think the two of them could be friends if they'd just stop being so stubborn.

(Yuki: Never!)

(Kyo: Over Yuki's dead body!)

(Yuki: You want to rephrase that or go through the wall …?)

They're the same age, and in the same class at school, but have very different personalities. Yuki actually has a FAN club at school – he's got the face of a beautiful girl and all the students, girls and boys, from seniors to freshmen, are all infatuated with him. They call him 'Prince' and find him to be gracious, smart, and polite.

(Kyo: Ha! Little do they know!)

Despite this, Yuki is not a 'people person.' He doesn't feel he relates well to others. When Kyo started school there (after Yuki was already there), he became popular as well, but for different reasons. Kyo is definitely a 'people person' and has no problem relating to his classmates.

(Yuki: The rude way he talks to them, I don't know why they like him at all.)

(Kyo: NORMAL guys talk to their friends that way, rat.)

So while Kyo spends all his time envying Yuki's place in the Juunishi, Yuki is envious of Kyo's way with people outside the family. They're jealous of each other.

(Yuki: I am NOT jealous of this moronic cat!)

(Kyo: As if I'd ever be jealous of YOU!)

Ritsu is a whole other case, but he's eighteen and has graduated from high school. He's staying here to help us out, but sometimes he's more trouble than the younger boys (not in a way that makes me want to spank him, but shaking him has definitely come to mind.)

(Kyo: Also smacking him around a while.)

(Yuki: Okay, we agree on that ….)

For one thing, he's a crossdresser. He's a very pretty young man and can easily pass for a girl, especially when wearing a woman's kimono and a ribbon in his long hair. He does this because his parents were always apologizing for him growing up, and now he apologizes for himself all the time, even when it isn't necessary. He has zero confidence in himself, so he dresses like a girl because he doesn't feel as much pressure to be strong that way. Sometime, we _do_ get him to wear mens' clothes, and we're trying to convince him that he doesn't have to feel so inadequate – he's attractive, he's a great cook and housekeeper for us, he's sensitive and insightful … he just needs more confidence.

(Kyo: And to be smacked around a while.)

(Yuki: Yes.)

As for me, I'm a novelist, so I'm at home all day.

(Yuki: Have you ever noticed that although he professes to write, we never see him doing it?)

(Kyo: Yeah, you're right. He's probably secretly the leader of the Yakuza or something.)

I'm a horrible housekeeper, though, and Yuki is worse.

(Yuki: I am NOT worse. All right, so I burn water, but my burnt food still tastes better than Shigure's concoctions.)

Kyo can at least cook, so he helps out Ritsu there sometimes, but the rest of the time he's wrecking my house fighting with Yuki. I really need to put a stop to this.

(Kyo: So kick Yuki out, and we'll all be happy.)

(Yuki: _I_ won't!)

My goodness, I've talked far too much! (that's a writer for you!)

(Yuki: Also someone who likes to hear himself talk.)

I'll be quiet now, and go see if there are any riceballs left over from dinner.

(Kyo: There aren't. We ate 'em.)

Yuki: Well, I guess that's our introduction, more or less. Shigure was the one who suggested we come join this place, so even if he doesn't go through with his threats -

Kyo: Which he won't.

Yuki: We thought we'd check things out and say hello.

Kyo: So, hi. We'll be back later, maybe.

Yuki: It was nice meeting you.

End of Part 126

No characters here are mine.


	27. Chapter 127

Robin's Diary - Part 127

By Haruka

Jason finally got back to me about what happened when Jean-Claude arrived at his room to punish him.

He was ready and waiting as instructed (although not eager.) Jean-Claude shut the door and looked over at him, then shook his head and clicked his tongue.

"Jason, Jason, Jason," he said with a sigh. "Whatever shall I do with you?"

"I can think of several things you COULD do with me," Jason replied mischievously.

Jean-Claude chuckled. "I am sure you can, but I very much doubt we have the same things in mind just now."

Jason's smile faded and he tried looking at the vampire earnestly. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping."

"You are sorry you got caught," Jean-Claude corrected. "That is not the same thing." He glided over to the bed and sat on the edge. "Come, let us get this unpleasantness over with."

Jason crawled over and slide across the other man's knees. Being only 5'3", he didn't have a hope of touching the ground, so all he could do was dangle there as Jean-Claude held him in place and began spanking him.

Unlike Nathaniel, Jason doesn't play spanking games, so there was no need for Jean-Claude to verbalize his displeasure. He let his hand do all the talking for him. Jason says that Jean-Claude has had 400 years to perfect his spanking technique and it shows in the way he can make it last, drawing out the torment and pain without ever making it too much to bear too early. And the end results are always the same – the recipient is sobbing and squirming and ready to pledge perfection forever if it would only stop.

Jason claims that description fit him well by the time Jean-Claude was done with him. He felt embarrassingly like a little kid again as his vampire master embraced him and stroked his blonde hair, murmuring into his ear.

"Will you ever eavesdrop again, my little wolf?" Jean-Claude inquired, rubbing Jason's back.

"Probably," Jason half-laughed in a voice still thick with tears.

Jean-Claude chuckled and gave Jason's sore rear a swat that made him yip. "Then you had better hope that next time you are better at it, n'est ce pas?"

Jean-Claude, Nathaniel and Jason all ended up joining the lists, too. Jason's flirting with everyone. Predictable. In the meantime, the Soumas are still in denial about their cousin getting close to spanking them, even though earlier today, Yuki and Kyo had another fight, and Yuki ended up hurtling Kyo out the open door. Shigure told Yuki that he was lucky the door was open. The guys don't seem to be taking him too seriously yet, even after that. Me, I'd be worried.

* * *

I managed to get into trouble at school today because I was tardy. Oh, I got out of the house okay, but Alfred couldn't drive me, so I got to ride the Redbird. When I found that out, I called Starfire and told her I'd buzz by Titan Tower and pick her up, which I did.

It's rare when the two of us have any time alone, so I wasn't in any hurry to let it end. I asked her if she wanted to take the scenic route, by the park, and since we still had enough time, she agreed.

It was a great feeling, riding my ultra-cool bike with my girl's arms around my waist, and the park is always nice to ride past, with the trees, flowers, and duck pond and all. Then I rounded a corner and hit it – a traffic block. There had been an accident involving a transport truck, and lumber was all over the road, plus the police and an ambulance were there – the street was completely blocked off. And it was already too late to turn around – cars were coming up behind me. There was a policeman trying to inch traffic through a narrow pathway they'd made, but it was two-way, and they had to keep stopping us to let people come through from the other direction. I knew we were going to be late.

I told Starfire she should fly to school but she refused, not wanting to leave me alone. I explained that I couldn't leave the Redbird and there was no reason for both of us to get into trouble. She still seemed determined to stay until I explained that if she _did_ go on ahead, she could tell Principal Darkholme that I was stuck in traffic and that it would really help me out (at least I hoped it would, but even if it didn't, Starfire would be safe.) She finally agreed and flew off toward school.

It was forty minutes into my first class by the time I arrived at Hero High. I went straight to Principal Darkholme's office, only to find that she was off today, and it was Vice-Principal Logan I had to face.

He said that yeah, Starfire came and told him what was going on, but that didn't change the fact that I wouldn't have been late if I hadn't gone to Titan Tower and picked her up (which was unnecessary, since she could fly.) AND he pointed out, he'd wager that Batman didn't know I'd made that little detour when I was supposed to be coming straight to school. Well, he had me there. I had to admit he was right.

Logan doesn't waste time with these things and he's not big on pre-punishment talking (unlike Batman.) Once he had all the facts, he just pulled out the old Board of Education and told me to 'move the cape, drop 'em, and bend over.'

I obeyed – I was already going to miss my first class and couldn't afford to be late for the second. But before he began, I made one plea. I asked him to please not hit my thighs (I had my reasons for this) and said that if he wouldn't, he could increase the whack count to make up for it. He nodded and said that's just what we'd do then.

I received ten cracks of the paddle (OUCH!) and while I tried hard not to cry, I ended up losing that battle pretty fast. Logan helped me pull myself together afterwards, straightening my costume, giving me water to stop my sob-induced hiccups, and wiping my wet face with a damp cloth. He said I'd actually taken it well, compared to how Kurt would have (sorry, Kurt!) but that wasn't much comfort. I was too worried about how well I'd be able to keep my condition from Starfire, so when I left the office, I was prepared to put on the best acting performance of my life. I think I was successful – at least none of my friends asked questions (which they certainly would have if I had let Logan smack my thighs, which are visible below my cape.) But man, it really wasn't easy to do, and I was SO glad to get home and lay down on my stomach (which is where I'm typing this on my laptop.)

I _did_ tell Bruce, of course. He'd see it in my records, anyway, even if Logan didn't tell him personally. He doesn't believe in punishing a second time for the same offense, so he didn't spank me, but he emphasized very sternly that I am NOT to deviate from my direct route to school ever again unless it's an emergency. Then he hugged me and said he'd have Alfred draw me a bath. I ended up sitting on the bath pillow, but it was still nice.

End of Part 127

No characters here are mine.


	28. Chapter 128

Robin's Diary - Part 128

By Haruka

Kyo and Yuki's ongoing fights are pretty funny, so I decided to include some quotes from their list posts here, along with their comments about their cousin/guardian, Shigure, and how seriously they're taking his threat to spank them (NOT!):

It's really hard to imagine Shigure trying to spank us. I can see him attempting to ground us, that doesn't take any effort, but to actually spank us, he'd have to exert himself.

Yuki

* * *

I can just see Shigure trying to cut a switch. He'd chop his own finger off.

Kyo

* * *

It'll never happen. That letch of a dog can't stay serious for longer than two minutes straight. Even if he intended to spank us, something would happen and he'd get distracted.

Kyo

* * *

Hey, Kyo here - Yuki's in the bathroom.

Yuki: You have to die now, stupid cat.

Kyo: Yuki's the funny one. Oh wait, you probably weren't talking about his face.

Yuki: First you say I have a girlie face, now you say it's funny. Make up your mind - oh wait, can't work with what you don't possess ...

Kyo: It's not healthy for us to get too close to girls.

Yuki: It's even less healthy for you to be anywhere near me right now, Kyo.

Kyo: I'm the smart one here, and that INCLUDES Shigure.

Yuki: Don't listen to him. He's an idiot. When he first moved in here with us, he didn't want to go to the same school as I did, so did he do the smart thing and fail the entrance exam on purpose? No, he didn't even think of it.

Kyo: Stop bringing up old stuff like that, damned rat!

Yuki: At the risk of sounding arrogant, we're really not worried about it, at least not from Shigure. I suppose if Hatori were visiting and something happened, that might be another story, but when he's here, he's usually giving me a check-up. (He's a Souma, but also a doctor. He only cares for family.)

Kyo: Yuki has weak bronchial tubes and he used to have attacks all the time when he was a kid. Not so much now, just when it's convenient.

Yuki: That is a complete lie and you know it. Ignore the incessant meowing, everyone.

Shigure usually acts like he doesn't care if we take anything he says or does seriously. He's 27, but immature.

Yuki

* * *

It's not as big a deal as when I was a kid (Kyo at least had THAT much right.) But he was just being an idiot when he said I have attacks when it's convenient. The last time I had one, I already had a fever, and it was track day at school. On that day, we all go on a long-distance run throughout town. Kyo decided it was a competition between the two of us (like he tries to make everything else.) I was beating him when we came across Hatsuharu and stopped to talk to him, and that was when the attack happened. Kyo blamed me for trying to get out of our race (although his accusation sounded kind of half-hearted to me) and Haru ended up hugging a female friend of ours so that he could turn 'ox' and carry me home on his back.

So basically, attacks don't happen often, but are more likely when I'm already sick. And of course we transform when our bodies are weak, so I ended up doing that, too. *sigh*

Yuki

* * *

Hmm, maybe Shigure was de-aged by that Sheizma Stone and although he still looks the same, his mind went back to oh, about 6 ...

Kyo

* * *

This morning that stupid cat attacked me again (what else is new?) and as usual, his technique was slow and clumsy so I easily avoided his attack and flipped him outside - he went right out the open door and landed half-way across the yard. Shigure is used to stuff like this happening around him, but this time he said something odd. He looked at the doorway, then back at me and told me that Kyo  
and I were lucky.

I'm not sure, but I think he was talking about his threat again. This surprises me, since I figured he'd have forgotten about it by now, but then I could be entirely wrong about what he meant.

Yuki

* * *

You cheated, you damned rat!

Kyo

* * *

Shigure doesn't really count as an adult, though. He's 27, makes his own living, but behaves like a big kid. I mean, when this guy's editor comes to ask for new chapters, he hides from her or leaves notes saying that he's gone for a walk to get inspired or just leads her on for hours like he hasn't done any writing when in fact it's all sealed up and ready to go. He's making that woman crazy.

Kyo

* * *

How good he would be at spanking us? Shigure probably doesn't even know WHICH end to spank.

Kyo

* * *

I'm really not trying to sound arrogant or above being spanked, it's just that the idea of Shigure spanking ANYONE is sort of like seeing Goofy at Disneyland  
do it.

Yuki

* * *

I don't believe it - the rat's right (except about the arrogant part - he's just like that naturally.) But hey, Goofy IS a dog and so is Shigure, and the name and IQ suit him perfectly.

Kyo

End of Part 128

No characters here are mine.


	29. Chapter 129

Robin's Diary - Part 129

By Haruka

Nathaniel mentioned that Jason got into trouble at a party of Jean-Claude's and Jason came on to give us the details:

Like Nathaniel said, I sort of made a social boo boo last night. Jean-Claude was host to vampires visiting from another city, and while it wasn't a big party by his standards, there were about twenty guests (not counting their servants or various other hangers-on) that he was entertaining. Both Nathaniel and I were allowed to attend, and we were dressed to kill. Jean-Claude is like that naturally – he has an amazing eye for design and has been known to decorate a room solely around the colours in one painting on the wall, including his clothes. Tonight his theme was dark blue and white, colours that happen to suit me as well, and Nat – well, it's hard to find anything Nathaniel doesn't look good in. If a designer saw him in a gunny sack, they'd probably create a new fall line around them. Jean-Claude chose our clothes for us and we were both to be displayed like the pretty possessions we are (hey, we're strippers – being on display is ducky with us!)

The visiting vampires certainly liked what they saw in Nathaniel, and, if I do say so myself, I received some interested looks as well. Unfortunately, I took that as encouragement (not that I ever need much), and at one point I, uh, sort of made advances to the wrong woman. Now, it's one thing to admire another vampire's possession, but quite another to have said possession step out of his 'place' and take the initiative on you. This lady vamp wasn't interested anymore when I did that – she was insulted. She sort of snarled at me and whipped back her arm to backhand me across the face.

Vampires and lycanthropes are all super-fast, but she was another Master vampire, like Jean-Claude, and in all likelihood, she was faster than I (I'm not even an Alpha werewolf – I'm pretty low on the lukoi chain.) So even if I tried to avoid the slap, which I wouldn't, chances are she'd have made contact, anyway. Her hand came too fast to see, but stopped half an inch from my cheek. Jean-Claude was holding her wrist in his hand.

"Jason is my pomme de sang, Giselle," he said in a voice that was almost too casual. "You may not hurt him."

She pulled her arm away and he let her. "Your pomme de sang is too bold, Jean-Claude. He laid hands upon me! If you will not allow me to strike him, then I insist that YOU do so!"

Gulp. I knew I'd asked for it, and that Jean-Claude would have to comply, but it still wasn't going to be fun, especially now that all the party guests were watching us.

He gave a gallant nod to Giselle. "As you wish," he said, then turned toward me, his midnight blue eyes serious. "Jason, you have offended my guest, another Master, and compensation must be made for your actions. Do you understand?"

I nodded, resigned to my fate. "Yes, Jean-Claude," I answered, then steeled myself for the blow across the face that I deserved.

Next thing I knew, Jean-Claude had spun me around to face the other way and a good, solid whack on my backside lifted me right off my feet. If he hadn't been holding my shoulder, I'd have propelled into the banquet table. He released me and I looked back at him, astonished. His expression was carefully controlled, but there was a twinkle in his eyes.

"What was that?!" Giselle demanded.

Jean-Claude looked at her. "You insisted that I strike him. You did not specify how or where. I have fulfilled your request."

I didn't stick around to hear the rest of the conversation – my part in things was done, and I decided the further away I stayed from Giselle, the better. I made eye contact with Nathaniel and saw that he was trying hard not to laugh at me, so I stuck my tongue out at him and then he _did_ laugh, drawing strange looks from some guests.

I did have to accept a scolding from Jean-Claude after everyone had left, but I think even he was trying not to laugh. ;)

Jason

* * *

Jason got into more trouble only a couple of days later, only this time he was really in for it:

I'm in deep doo doo. I've lost Nathaniel!

Jean-Claude was invited to go see Micah Callahan, Nathaniel's Nimir-Raj. Such an invitation from Micah is usually a prelude to some enchanted evening (in short, they have the hots for each other), and I was left with Nathaniel-guarding duty.

I thought it would be fun to go out together and party, so we did. The other leopards had been politely invited to leave for the evening so that Micah and Jean-Claude could be alone, and we found all of them at one of the usual clubs.

I was having fun dividing my time between making moves on Cherry and admiring Zane's latest piercing when Gregory came over and said, "Hey wolfman, what's red and violet and not here at all?"

"Huh?" I said brilliantly, then something clicked and I made the association. Red, violet …. "NATHANIEL?!" I yelled, looking left and right, sniffing the air for a trace of vanilla (Nathaniel's scent is vanilla. I don't know if it's his skin or cologne or shampoo or what, but he always smells of vanilla.) But there was none.

I think I screamed – I certainly made SOME noise that made everyone look at me. I began organizing all the pard and collecting anyone else in the place whom I knew. No one had a clue where he was and no one remembered seeing him leave.

I looked for hours and just got home. I don't know when Jean-Claude is coming back, but I'd better be here when he does. I'm staying by the phone, hoping someone calls. One thing is for sure – if Jean-Claude returns and Nathaniel isn't here, I am going to be mince meat. And on top of my life's minutes being numbered, I'm really worried about Nathaniel and where he might be and whether or not he's safe.

It was nice knowing you all. Anyone in the market for a wolf-skin coat? -_-;

Jason

* * *

This came from Jean-Claude – if only Jason had known:

I am beyond angry tonight. I was invited to share an intimate dinner with Micah, Nimir-Raj of Nathaniel's pard (such an event actually means that Micah is dinner for me, an experience we both enjoy.) He is beautiful and delicate in stature, with long brown curls and the yellow-green eyes of a cat (he once spent too much time in leopard form.) Despite his size, as an Alpha, he is extremely powerful, a delectable partner when we choose to be together. It was to be a wonderful evening, just the two of us.

We had only a couple of hours together when Micah's doorbell rang. It was Richard Zeeman, Jason's Ulfric, and he had Nathaniel with him. Stephen, one of his wolves and twin brother to Gregory of the leopard pard, had come across Nathaniel in the parking lot of a club where he'd been chatting with three other lycanthropes. Nothing bad was going on, but Stephen knew the situation with Nathaniel and how he wasn't to be left alone. Nathaniel said Jason was inside, and Stephen thought it might be a good time for a joke on his packmate. He brought Nathaniel to Richard's, and he told Stephen to call his twin back at the club and tell him that Nathaniel was safe, but not to tell Jason that. THEN he found out from Nathaniel where I was and brought him to Micah's.

This made for an interesting situation for me, since Richard, after long denying his bisexuality, had finally come to terms with his desire for me several months ago. It is a desire that I happen to share (after all, wolves are my animal to call, and he is the most powerful of them all in my city. Besides, he is devastatingly handsome. Like Micah, a worthy partner.) However, he is not fond of Micah and the leopard enjoys his jealousy. It is fun to be so desireable, but my mood is too spoiled with Jason's irresponsibility to enjoy it.

So here I am, on Micah's computer, while Richard hangs around, not wanting to leave us alone. Soon I shall be leaving, anyway – I am just giving Jason another hour or two of worry before I go home and skin him alive.

Jean-Claude

End of Part 129

No characters here are mine.


	30. Chapter 130

Robin's Diary - Part 130

By Haruka

Nathaniel gave his side of what happened the night he left the club with Stephen:

I didn't know what Stephen had in mind when we left the club parking lot. He said he was taking me home, but what I didn't realize was that he meant HIS home. He brought me to see Richard, Ulfric of the Thronos Rokke Clan. I'm a wereleopard, so Richard really doesn't have anything to do with me except that he and my Nimir-Raj, Micah, both sleep with Jean-Claude. And of course, he knew of Jason's responsibility where I'm concerned.

Richard told Stephen to call his twin Gregory at the club and let him know I was okay, but not to tell Jason. Then he said he would take me home to Jean-Claude. I had to tell him that Jean-Claude wasn't at home – he was at Micah's. Next thing I knew, we were on our way over there.

I was pretty uncomfortable when we got there and not just because Jean-Claude would be there (and mad at me) and Micah would be there (and mad at me) but because Richard, Micah, and Jean-Claude in one place at one time is always risky. Both Alpha lycanthropes are lovers of Jean-Claude's, and you can feel the power flaring whenever they're together. I'm sure Jean-Claude loves it, but last night he just looked angry.

I tried to stay in the background while Richard broke the bad news (I think maybe although he was angry with Jason, he was glad to be breaking up Micah's evening with Jean-Claude) Then Micah and Jean-Claude gave ME the third degree about leaving the club and I told them the truth. I had no intention of REALLY leaving, I was just in the parking lot. But of course, everyone knows that if someone had asked me to go with them, I would have, so my excuse didn't hold much weight.

It was decided that I would stay with Micah for the night, and it was Micah who ended up punishing me for leaving the club. Micah actually has prior claim to me over Jean-Claude, because I'm a member of his pard and he's my Nimir-Raj. When he and Jean-Claude agreed that I needed the individual attention that Jean-Claude could offer, Micah ordered me to do what my new vampire master told me to, and obey him always. Jean-Claude has ordered me not to leave Jason's sight when we're out together, and I disobeyed him by going out to the parking lot. That means I also disobeyed Micah, and it's never a good thing to go against your monarch.

I'll spare you the details of my punishment (which took place after both Richard and Jean-Claude had left.) Shapeshifter discipline can be harsh, and even the most benevolent Kings cannot afford to treat disobedience lightly, lest they appear weak and end up facing more challengers to their throne than necessary. I felt terrible for forcing Micah to do it, and I know he wished he didn't have to. Still, I got to sleep and heal with the collective touch of he and my pard all in one pile, so it wasn't all bad.

It wasn't until I got home when I found out what happened to Jason, and then I had more to feel guilty for.

Nathaniel

* * *

And here's what Jason had to say about his punishment:

I was going nuts by the time Jean-Claude came home. There had been no word from or about Nathaniel and I was about to have to tell him he was gone. It's hard not to be jittery when facing certain death.

But come home he did, and he found me curled up in a corner of the couch (I'm small, but was probably trying to make myself smaller.)

"Jean-Claude, I'm so sorry, but tonight I took Nathaniel to a club and he disappeared." There, I got it out. Now to wait for the explosion.

"I know this," he said in a grim tone.

"You know?!" I gasped. "D-Does that mean you know where Nathaniel is, too?"

"He is at Micah's," Jean-Claude told me icily. "Where he will undoubtedly receive punishment for leaving the club. However, YOU, my wolf, will receive it from me."

I found out later about the details Nathaniel already mentioned – Richard's involvement and both of the twins, the coming-together of Richard and Micah in Jean-Claude's presence … all of it. Right now, knowing Nathaniel was safe (his being punished by Micah is better than thinking he was being chained to a wall somewhere by some sadist), all I had left to worry about was my own skin. Which was probably about to leave my body in strips.

I wasn't far wrong. This wasn't just merely a handspanking offense. If Nathaniel had taken it upon himself to leave the house and go off, then I wouldn't be held responsible, but it was ME who took him out, and that meant I was the one who was supposed to keep him safe.

I had to strip down before Jean-Claude brought out a leather strap to punish me with. He had me bend over the foot of the bed for it and he didn't pull any punches, either. I don't count stokes (when you get into legal age territory, you just don't want to anymore), it's just different degrees of pain after that. I was howling like the wolf I am before too long, and when Jean-Claude finally stopped and scooped me up into his arms, as painful as that was for my butt and thighs, I was still grateful. It meant he wasn't going to stay mad.

"So," I sniffled, "how much of that was my losing Nat and how much was wrecking your date?"

"ALL of that was for losing Nathaniel," Jean-Claude told me as he lay me onto the bed. "For wrecking my date, I will not feed upon you tomorrow night, nor will I with Nathaniel. Richard will be sending two of his wolves over to enjoy that privilege."

Hearing that was worse than the beating, but I suppose I deserve it. And Nat, too. Besides, Jean-Claude isn't stupid – he knows he's like a drug to us, and depriving us of him makes us appreciate him even more.

Jason

* * *

Someone pressed Nathaniel for details about his punishment. He posted them, but put a big EXTREME VIOLENCE WARNING in the header so that those who were squeamish would know not to read it:

You may not want these details. Lycanthropes and supernaturals in general live in a violent world where there's always someone waiting to take advantage of you. If you're a Nimir-Raj, an Ulfric, or a vampire Master of a city, it's an endless battle to hold onto your position, and the only way that happens is to be the strongest of your kind. When there are challengers to your position, you have to  
kill them. When your people don't follow your rules, you can't be weak - you have to punish them without hesitation, or you'll end up with a lot more challengers, resulting in more death. So punishments are usually violent and harsh.

It's different with Jean-Claude taking care of me and Jason. We're not vampires, so while he can be strict with us, he doesn't have to be as harsh. For me with Micah, he has no choice. I'm his leopard, and I'm not even an Alpha. For me to disobey him is practically an insult, and one that makes him look weak if he doesn't deal with it.

Still reading? Okay, then I'll tell you what went down. Micah asked me if I understood what I'd done and why he couldn't let it go unpunished. Of course I said yes, because it was true. He backhanded me across the face, knocking me down (although he's smaller than me, he's much stronger.) While I was down on my knees, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled my head back, then struck me several more times until my lip split.

After that, he sent me to bed, where the rest of my pard was waiting. We heal fast naturally, but contact with one's pard makes it happen even faster. Micah joined us soon after, kissing and crooning to me while I healed.

I hope hearing this doesn't make you hate Micah. Even as bad as this may sound to non-lycanthropes, he still took it easy on me. He had every right to break bones for this.

Nathaniel

End of Part 130

No characters here are mine.


	31. Chapter 131

Robin's Diary - Part 131

By Haruka

There were some firsts today for the members of the Souma family on our lists. Yuki and Kyo re-posted their cousin/guardian, Shigure's post from the adults' list, and interjected their own comments to tell the story from ALL perspectives. So here is Shigure, with comments by Yuki and Kyo in parentheses:

Be proud of me, everyone! I finally took that step that means I'm now on this list legitimately!

(Yuki: I guess the same goes for us.)

(Kyo: Unfortunately.)

This was a typical morning, with Ritsu having gotten up first, to start breakfast for all of us. I got up next, then Kyo. Yuki didn't put in an appearance until after breakfast was already on the table, and even then he was still rubbing his eyes and looked only half-awake.

"Good morning," he said sleepily.

"Join us, Yuki-kun, and have some tea," I suggested. "That will wake you up."

"He's not late getting up," Kyo snorted. "He's probably been primping in the mirror for the past half hour."

(Yuki: Take note, he DID start it ….)

That woke Yuki up more. "Only YOU could be so stupid this early in the morning."

"You damned rat, don't you call me stupid!"

"You'd rather I lied?"

(Kyo: I may have started it, but he egged me on with this!)

Ritsu glanced between them with fear growing on his face. I remained calm. No blows had been thrown yet and this kind of bantering could go on between them for hours.

But Kyo was in a particularly pissy mood and decided not to settle for a battle of words (he loses those to Yuki as often as the physical fights, anyway.)

(Kyo: Hey, that's not true!)

(Yuki: Yes, it is.)

He jumped to his feet, taking a fighting stance.

"I'll shut your mouth for good, rat!"

"Can I at least have some tea before humiliating you again?" Yuki asked with a sigh.

(Kyo: Now who WOULDN'T get mad at an attitude like this?!)

Kyo gave an enraged shout and attacked. Even though Yuki would seem to be starting at a disadvantage because he was kneeling at our table (Japanese meals are eaten at a low table – there are no chairs) he still managed to first block Kyo's attack and propel him into the wall. I looked over to see if the wall was damaged, but there wasn't even a crack – Yuki must not have used much force.

(Kyo: He's just weak.)

(Yuki: I'm not the one who hit the wall.)

But now he was getting up, and he looked annoyed. "Are you going to be smart and stay down, or do we have to continue this?"

Kyo answered by leaping for Yuki, who sidestepped him. Unfortunately, that left Ritsu in Kyo's path and he slammed into him, bringing them both down hard. I heard the smack as Ritsu's head connected with the table.

(Yuki: We all heard it. It was horrible.)

(Kyo: Yeah ….)

"Ritchan!" I cried, and quickly moved to his side, pushing Kyo off him. Ritsu raised his head (thank goodness he still could!) but he had a bruise on his temple and his eyes weren't quite focused.

"Is he all right?" Yuki asked in concern.

"Did I break any dishes on the table?" he murmured. "I did, didn't I? I'm SO sorry, Shigure-niisan …."

"He SOUNDS normal," Kyo replied, a not-very-well-hidden note of relief to his tone.

(Kyo: Of course I was relieved! Ritsu can be annoying, but I don't wish him any harm. I just was mad at myself, that's why I didn't say much else about it.)

I ignored both of the younger boys. "Don't even think about it, Ritchan. I'm going to take you to your room." I carefully picked him up and carried him to his bedroom, then I called Hatori and asked him to come over to check on him as soon as he could.

I knew it would take a while for Hatori to arrive, which gave me time to take care of something important. I had thought before that when the time came for me to carry out my threats, I would have to pretend to be confident and not show any hesitation or indecision with the boys. But with the time finally at hand, I didn't even need to think about it, and I certainly didn't question it. Property damage would have been bad enough – damaging Ritsu was unforgivable.

(Yuki: *cringe*)

(Kyo: *cringe* x 2)

The two of them were in the midst of a new argument when I arrived back in the room, and that only made me angrier.

"What do you MEAN this was all my fault?!" Kyo was shouting. "You're the one who dodged out of the way like a coward! If you hadn't done that, Ritsu wouldn't have gotten hurt!"

"And if you hadn't attacked me in the first place, it wouldn't have happened, either," Yuki snapped back.

"You were baiting me, damned rat!"

"I wasn't baiting you when you picked a fight before my eyes were even open, stupid cat."

(Yuki: I guess we were BOTH mad at ourselves, and taking it out on each other.)

I didn't even slow down, I walked right past them, taking hold of the first arm within reach – Yuki's - and pulling him with me as I sat cross-legged on the floor.

(Yuki: Lucky me.)

(Kyo: No, lucky ME.)

I yanked him over my lap, and let me tell you, that first view of a helpless kid over your knees waiting for parental justice is rather empowering.

(Yuki: I wasn't helpless, I was STUNNED.)

(Kyo: You and me both, but I'm still glad it was YOU first.)

I drew back my arm and delivered what I think was a pretty good first whack.

(Yuki: It was. -_-;)

Yuki gasped, but that was the last sound he made.

(Kyo: I don't think so – I'm pretty sure I heard him squeak a couple of times.)

(Yuki: I did NOT squeak!)

I started spanking him, finding a pretty good rhythm. I only hit him ten times,

(Yuki: *blink* Was that all? It seemed like at least fifty.)

but this was his first time receiving this kind of punishment from me (maybe from anyone),

(Yuki: No comment.)

and I wasn't sure how long Kyo was going to stick around after he broke out of his shock at seeing this happen.

(Kyo: I should have run while I had the chance.)

Besides, I didn't want to leave Ritsu alone too long.

When I delivered the final wallop to Yuki's bottom, I said, "All right, Yuki-kun, get up."

He did, slowly. The look on his face was priceless. He was obviously stunned;

(Yuki: I already said that.)

his wide purple eyes took up most of his face. There were no tears, and I wasn't sure if there should be, but I couldn't take time to think about it. I had already stood up and was reaching for Kyo.

He finally snapped out of his trance and started to step backwards. "No WAY, you rabid dog! You're not getting anywhere NEAR me after that!"

For a minute I had bad visions of having to chase Kyo down all over Souma property (a dog chasing a cat? What a concept!) But I really didn't want to have to do that.

Salvation came from an unexpected source. When Kyo backed up another step, he found himself up against Yuki, who was blocking his retreat.

(Kyo: You are not my friend, rat.)

(Yuki: Was I ever?)

"Don't you get it, stupid cat?" he said. "This is what the other kids have been trying to get through to us. Shigure's been warning us all along what he would do if our fighting caused anymore damage, and look what we did to Ritsu. We DESERVE this." A grim smile appeared on his face. "Besides, if I have to endure it, so do you."

(Kyo: Har dee har har.)

Kyo snorted, but he didn't try to get around Yuki right away, so I took the opportunity and pulled him down to the floor with me and over my crossed legs.

(Kyo: And may I say right now that I am not particularly FOND of that position?)

While Yuki had been absolutely silent, Kyo made as much noise as possible. "OW! This is ridiculous – OW! Not so hard, pervert dog – OUCH, HEY! You're hitting me harder than you hit Yuki – OW!"

(Yuki: That's not true.)

(Kyo: I still think it is!)

You get the idea. When I finally finished and allowed him to get up, I saw tears in his eyes.

(Kyo: NO, NO, NO! I did NOT cry!)

It probably wasn't from pain. I've seen Kyo take worse beatings from Yuki and Kagura without shedding any tears, and this was only ten whacks with his pants on.

(Kyo: It wasn't from pain, it wasn't from ANYTHING!)

(Yuki: How about guilt? I know _I_ felt it, even if I didn't cry.)

(Kyo: …..)

"Ha-san will be here soon," I said to them both, then took Yuki by the shoulders and walked him across the room to left far corner. I stood him there, facing it. "Stay here, Yuki-kun," I ordered. "No speaking, and no turning around." Then I went back toward Kyo, who had been trying to wipe his eyes while we weren't looking. He groaned.

"Aw, MAN! You aren't serious!" he complained.

(Yuki: I wanted to say the same thing, but I'm glad it was he who did.)

I turned him around and gripping his shoulder, I landed another swat on his rear that made him hiss (literally.)

(Yuki: See?)

(Kyo: Shut up! And I didn't 'hiss'!)

I looked at him over his shoulder. "What do YOU think, Kyo-kun? Do I seem serious to you? Now, move." Taking both shoulders in my hands, I did with him what I'd done with Yuki, only I put him in the far right corner. "You will both stand silently in these corners until I release you. Just one word and I'll take you over my knee again – that's a promise." I chuckled. "And you know now that I keep mine!"

(Yuki: He enjoyed this entirely too much.)

They didn't reply (luckily for them), but I could just imagine what they WANTED to say.

(Kyo: No, I don't think you can.)

I heard a car outside and went to the door.

Souma Hatori is one of my best friends as well as being a member of the Juunishi. He and Yuki's brother Ayame and I are all the same age, and when we were in high school together, we were known as the Mabudachi Trio (it's been translated as the Flowery Gigolo Trio, and I suppose that's close enough!)

(Yuki: WHY in the middle of all this does he have to bring up THAT?!)

(Kyo: Still sensitive about your big brother the weirdo?)

(Yuki: I'd rather YOU were my brother, does that answer your question?!)

Hatori is also the Souma family doctor, so it was natural for me to call him when Ritsu got hurt.

You should have seen the expression on Hatori's face when he came in and saw Yuki and Kyo standing in the corner. He gave me a questioning look.

"I spanked them both and put them there so they could think about what they did," I said proudly.

(Kyo: Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back there, dog.)

To be honest, that was only half true. Yuki had obviously already thought about things and realized they deserved their punishment, and Kyo hadn't fought back, so maybe he did, too.

(Kyo: Don't be stupid, of course I knew it! Didn't mean I had to LIKE it!)

But I figured this little extra couldn't hurt, and besides, I'd wanted them there when Hatori arrived, so he could see what I'd done.

(Yuki: As I said, entirely too much.)

Hatori is the most serious of us, and isn't prone to my goofiness or Ayame's flamboyance. He blinked once, then nodded. "It's about time," he said.

(Kyo: Thanks for the support there, Hatori.)

Believe it or not, that's high praise from Hatori. He approved, and that made me happy. Back at the main house, he's often a disciplinarian for the children, and I sort of considered him my expert in the field.

I took Hatori to see Ritsu, and thankfully an examination showed him to be all right. His vision had cleared up and he had good responses, he just had a bit of a headache, so Hatori insisted he take it easy today in case he had a concussion.

(Yuki: We were ALL relieved about that.)

(Kyo: We agree on that for sure.)

We went back to the main room and caught Yuki and Kyo in the act of speaking to each other from their respective corners (and they WERE speaking, not yelling, which I suppose was a good thing.) They clammed up when we arrived, looking at me guiltily.

(Kyo: Were you guilty?)

(Yuki: No, I was afraid he'd whack us again, this time in front of Hatori.)

"I thought I told you both to be silent," I said seriously.

"We're sorry," Yuki answered. "We were just saying that we'd like to go apologize to Ritsu as soon as he's allowed visitors."

"He's allowed now, just don't cause him any stress," Hatori instructed.

"We're talking about RITSU here," Kyo said. "He's stress personified!"

"Maybe so, but try not to let him go off on one of his apology tangents," Hatori told them, then glanced at me. "But of course, you can only leave your corners if Shigure says it's all right."

(Kyo: *groan* Don't ENCOURAGE him!)

I wanted to hug him, but decided to hold off on that for the moment. "I think apologizing would be nice," I replied, nodding. "Go ahead."

They left the room together, and then I _did_ hug Hatori. I had fielded my first act of parental discipline successfully, and was rather pleased with myself at the results!

(Yuki & Kyo: WE WEREN'T!)

End of Part 131

No characters here are mine.


	32. Chapter 132

Robin's Diary - Part 132

By Haruka

Logan and Mystique flew out to St. Louis last night and wrote this report on the adults' list:

Logan: We're sharing the comp to tell you about our evening. Mystique finally talked me into going to Jean-Claude's club, Guilty Pleasures, last night, so we borrowed the X-Jet and headed on down to St. Louis. It was some experience.

Mystique: It was FUN! :D

Logan: First thing we saw was the sign Jean-Claude mentioned, about the holy items (there's a holy item check girl, of all things.) We weren't wearing any, so it didn't matter.

Mystique: Logan was worried that I might be in danger from the vampires (after all, it _is_ a club for vampires, so we were surrounded by them) and even if I change my look, I can't change my scent. But while I got some unusual glances, I think maybe mutant blood doesn't interest them so much.

Logan: As for me, my nose was going crazy. It was like being in the zoo with the different lycanthrope scents, and vampires smell like something else entirely. And the undercurrent of power made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It took some getting used to.

Mystique: We got lucky, and Jean-Claude was there (we mentioned his name to one of the waiters and he went to get him.) It's too hard to describe his beauty and overall presence (that voice, ooo, that voice) without sounding like a slavering sex fiend, so I'll just say he was entrancing.

Logan: He was pretty, all right. Stop drooling on the keyboard, Raven.

Mystique: Heh, sorry. Anyway, Jean-Claude was a little surprised to see us, of course, and concerned as well. Not that any harm would come to us – Logan was immune to vampire bite or lycanthropy and while I wasn't, I had silver shot on me, and that could slow them down. What he was concerned about was that we might not enjoy the show, since it was meant to entertain vampires.

Logan: He had a point. Mostly it was straight striptease, but there were a couple of acts which involved sexy vampires biting into willing victims as a climax. I wasn't so sure this had been a good idea. The scent of blood was tempting the part of me that's animal, and I was just worried that Mystique was getting bad ideas.

Mystique: Awww, you're no fun.

Logan: Well, we _did_ promise we wouldn't go into much detail, so we won't. We got to see all the strippers, including Jason and Nathaniel, and those twins, Stephen and Gregory –

Mystique: Those two put on a hell of a brother act. ;)

Logan: We met Jean-Claude's boys afterwards.

Mystique: Jason was exactly Logan's size!

Logan: Yeah, well, he's a cute kid. Looks like he belongs on a beach holding a surfboard, with that flippy blonde hair and blue eyes. He never stops grinning and has a sense of humour that probably gets him into a lot of trouble. Reminds me a little of Kurt.

Mystique: Except that Kurt never flirted with me like Jason did. I think if I'd put a collar and leash around his neck, he'd have followed me home.

Logan: See what I mean? Bad ideas.

Mystique: Now Nathaniel, THERE'S a boy I'd love to have laying at my feet on a cold winter night. His hair alone would be a blanket that would cover my entire body!

Logan: Bad, bad ideas ….

Mystique: Oh Logan, don't be such a poop. Anyway, Nathaniel is easily the most beautiful teenager I've ever seen. It's no wonder they have to guard him so closely. I'm surprised that when he finishes his act, they aren't mobbing the stage. _I_ wanted to.

Logan: I thought you didn't want to sound like a slavering sex fiend.

Mystique: Oops. Sorry. Nathaniel was very polite and kind of quiet, unlike Jason, but they were both nice kids.

Logan: Jean-Claude and the boys stayed at our table after the introductions and we spent the rest of the evening talking to them. It's hard not to be fascinated by a life that's spanned four hundred years, so it was interesting conversation, to say the least.

Mystique: And nothing bad happened, so Logan worried for nothing. When we got home, Kurt and Rogue asked where we'd gone and we told them (we figured Jason and Nathaniel might mention it on the other list, anyway.) Naturally, they both whined about how they'd wanted to go, too, but we just laughed at that.

Logan: Yeah, the last place I want my son and daughter is in a club that makes their mother whoop and holler, "TAKE IT OFF!"

Mystique: Thrrrppp. You're just jealous because all the beautiful men wanted me.

Logan: Actually, I think they all wanted Jean-Claude.

Mystique: Even you?

Logan: Don't ask stupid questions.

Mystique: Is that a 'no', or what?

Logan: Anyhow, people, that was a brief rundown of our evening. I wouldn't mind talking more with Jean-Claude and his kids, but I don't know about that club. Not really my kind of joint. No pool tables.

Mystique: Okay, next time I'll go without you. ;)

* * *

Unquote. The problem is that Kurt and Rogue know their parents went and they're mad because they wanted to go, too. And they aren't the only ones. So now Kurt and Nosedive are planning to take as many as want to go on an excursion to St. Louis and Guilty Pleasures via the Aerowing sometime soon. Me, I think I'll sit this one out, mostly because I enjoy sitting, if you know what I mean.

End of Part 132

No characters here are mine.


	33. Chapter 133

Robin's Diary - Part 133

By Haruka

Here's the tale of the trip to St. Louis and the Guilty Pleasures strip club as told by Kurt:

Rogue, Nosedive and I first picked up the other kids (including Raphael, who insisted on going when he heard that Rogue was), then we went on to St. Louis. Nosedive had gotten the address from Jason, and he'd been told that either he or Nathaniel would be waiting by the back door.

As it turned out, it was Jason who let us in, and he led us to an alcove in a private stairwell. Once there, we got to make all the introductions properly (it was fun watching him greet Joseph in formal werewolf-fashion – he rubbed his cheek against Joseph's and then touched his nose behind his ear) and Jason had to take time out to flirt with everybody. He was really cute, I kept wanting to brush his blonde hair out of his blue eyes where it would flip into them every so often. His mischievous grin was infectious.

After we'd all chatted for a while, he said that it was almost time for the show to start, so he had to get going. He led us upstairs to a landing that overlooked the club, with a great view of the stage.

"Sometimes they have spotlights here, aimed at the stage for special shows, but no one will be up here tonight," Jason said. "Just try to stay low, under the top edge of the railing, so you won't be so easily spotted. Oh man, hurry, duck!"

"Yes?" Nosedive joked. Jason pulled him down behind the railing, and the rest of us crouched as well. We could still see between the bars.

"THAT is Jean-Claude," Jason whispered, pointing to a spot down below.

"Whoa," I murmured. Even from a distance, he had amazing presence. He was all dressed in black, and it was hard to tell where those dark curls ended and the jacket began. Mein Gott, he was so beautiful, it was almost surreal. I think Rogue licked her lips, but she'll probably kill me for saying so.

"I have to get going, guys," Jason said apologetically. "Be sure to stay right here, okay? I'll come back and get you later. See ya!"

We did as Jason said and stayed below the railing, peering through it at the wonders of the club. It was amazing to think that all those people below us were supernaturals of one kind or another. It made being a plain mutant seem dull by comparison! The power waves just below the surface were making my fur feel weird, like my hackles were rising.

"They don't look so tough," Raphael muttered.

"I don't think looks have much to do with it," Rogue told him. "You saw the size of Jason, but he says he can bench-press an elephant!"

"I wonder how he discovered _that_!" Nosedive chuckled.

"Sssh!" I put a finger against his bill and he kissed it. "Dive!" I giggled.

"Will you two hush up?" Rogue scolded. "The show's starting!"

The first act was an attention-grabber, and must have been geared toward vampires, because it ended with a beautiful victim being fed from right there on stage! I'd never seen anything like it. At first I was grossed out, but then it started to look almost … cool. The vampires in the audience sure loved it, and the victim seemed pretty happy, too.

"I wonder what it feels like to be vampire-bitten," I whispered.

"You'll never know," Raphael told me. "Nathaniel said once that vampires usually prefer their food without fur."

I was surprised to feel kind of disappointed. Especially when my gaze slid back to Jean-Claude. He looked like an exquisite antique painting come to life as he stood silently off to one side, watching his performers.

"Guess that goes for feathers, too," Nosedive quipped.

Jason's name was announced and he jogged out onstage and began his striptease. His music was bouncy and fun, and that grin never left his face as he played to the audience and peeled off pieces of clothing one by one. Man, if I had the body for it, I could see myself doing that – it looked like a blast! But I doubt I could move like Jason did – there was a fluidity to his motions, a natural grace. It must have been another facet of being a supernatural, because I never saw plain old humans do that. I heard Rogue snicker beside me and I looked at her. "What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking of Daddy watching this last night," she said mischievously.

That thought made me chuckle, too.

If you're wondering whether or not Jason took it all off – oh yeah, he sure did! I don't think I could pull off THAT aspect of stripping with as much ease. As he tossed away that final shred of clothing, I _swear_ he directed a wink in our direction.

The crowd loved him, of course, and we all had to sit on our hands or cover our mouths to keep from expressing our own appreciation and blowing our cover. I was really impressed and wanted to tell him so.

The next few acts were all great, including the twins, Stephen and Gregory. They're just lovely, with waist-length, curly blonde hair and cornflower blue eyes. The two of them put on a brother act that was, well, pretty steamy! There's something about watching two identical visions, moving in unison as they sway to the music and reverently remove each other's clothing.

There was another blood-taking act after them, then another stripper, and just when I was wondering whether Nathaniel would perform or not, they announced his name.

Unlike Jason's bouncy, pump-'em-up performance, Nathaniel's was pure seduction. The first thing I noticed were his lilac eyes – the colour was so striking that it cut across the length of the club. Then I saw the whole of his face and I caught my breath. I'd never seen a boy that pretty before. His height (around 5'6") probably wouldn't have helped rid him of the effect of the feminine features, but his broad shoulders did, at least. It occurred to me that I hadn't noticed his hair, and then I realized that it was pulled back into a ponytail. As he prowled across the stage toward the audience, I saw the end of it swirling around his ankles.

Nathaniel used the entire stage during his performance; dancing, crawling, slinking – even rolling onto his back and stretching like a big cat enjoying the heat of the day. His liquid, rolling muscles made every movement erotic and sensual. The swishing of that ultra-long hair half-hidden, half-not behind his back was like being teased with the promise of candy you don't know if you'll receive. It was making me nuts. And of course, the clothes became fewer and fewer.

Then when there was nothing left but a G-string, Nathaniel bent forward and broke the tie on his hair, then flipped his head back. The hair flowed around him like a mahogany curtain, enveloping him. Tilting his head to one side so that the hair slid in front of him, he finally broke off the G-string and tossed it into the audience, but now his hair was hiding everything! You should have heard the crowd. Heck, _I_ was trying not to scream!

Nathaniel slowly swept his hands up behind his head and lifted the mass of silky hair back in a velvety rush, raising his arms so that it flowed through his fingers and over his arms. He was fully exposed now, and the audience was delighted (and if they were anything like me, they were also exhausted!)

The music ended and Nathaniel gave a gracious bow before leaving the stage (I was kind of sorry that the hair was hiding his naked butt, but just watching the hair move against his skin like something alive was thrilling, too!) I turned to look at my sister, only to find her staring back at me. Neither of us could think of a coherent thing to say.

"Are you enjoying the show, mes enfants?"

You have to understand – we'd never heard Jean-Claude's voice before – but before I turned, I just KNEW that's who we'd see standing behind us. And he was even more gorgeous close up. His eyes were a dark, mesmerizing, midnight blue, and his face, like Nathaniel's, was beautiful, not handsome. However, there was an intangible masculinity there, like all men should be wearing lacy shirts and velvet jackets, but only Jean-Claude would pull it off with perfection.

He knew who we were (I guess there are only so many ducks, turtles, and fuzzy blue boys around), but we all made introductions, anyway.

"Do you children know that if you are caught on these premises, this club could be shut down?" he asked us, looking from one of us to the next with slow deliberation. "I would lose my business, my strippers would have no jobs, and there would be one less place for vampires to spend their evenings in safety."

Ouch, guilt trip. What could we say? He was right.

Jean-Claude got us out of there, taking us back the same way Jason brought us in. The Aerowing was parked in an empty lot down the street, but Jean-Claude refused to let us walk to it alone. Jason and Nathaniel came out the back door then (I don't know if they came looking for us, or if Jean-Claude somehow contacted them) and they both gave the vampire guilty glances.

"Yes, you _should_ look like that," he admonished. "We will speak of this later, at home. For now, you will escort the children to their plane." He bowed to us. "I am sorry we had to meet under these circumstances, mes enfants. Perhaps another time, you may accompany your parents to my home for a visit instead."

"I don't suppose there's any chance you won't tell our parents we were here?" Rogue asked with a hopeful smile.

Jean-Claude laughed, and the sound of it simmered through my blood, arousing me. I'm not kidding, it had that strong an effect. If he could bottle that, he'd put Viagra out of business. Unfortunately, for all the thrill it gave me, it still meant we were gonna get it at home later.

After he left, we finally got to meet Nathaniel personally as we walked down the street (which the boys told us was also known as The Riverfront, Blood Quarter, and Blood Square – it's where most of the vampire businesses are located.) We complimented both of them on their performances, and told them we'd really enjoyed ourselves. Jean-Claude hadn't told them to rush back to the club, and with their shows over with, they didn't have a need to, so we all sat around on the Aerowing for about half an hour, chatting and laughing. The guys didn't seem to mind that we'd gotten them in trouble (as Jason said, it was 'par for the course' where they were concerned!) which I thought was really cool of them.

Unfortunately, we _did_ finally have to leave, especially as by then, our parents had probably been informed and were likely to be waiting for us. I don't think any of us regretted going, though. It was certainly a learning experience!

Kurt

* * *

Unquote. Needless to say, everyone involved ended up getting punished pretty seriously (the parents were all freaked at the thought of Jean-Claude's club being endangered, plus most of them had already told their kids they couldn't go.) Most of them got belt-spankings, but Jason and Nathaniel were handspanked and banned from the club (without pay) for a week on top of it.

End of Part 133

No characters here are mine.


	34. Chapter 134

Robin's Diary - Part 134

By Haruka

Virgil wrote us with some happy news:

I just got back from Hero High, where Shiv gave birth to his baby earlier today, and get this: It's a GIRL! We could all hardly believe it - it wasn't supposed to be possible for two guys to produce a girl, but these goons did it! So that's another first for Shiv - first male to have a baby on Earth (that we know of), first male _metahuman_ to do so, and now a first baby girl born to two male parents!

Oh, and she's SO cute! She's blonde right now (Hot Streak says he had blonde hair when he was born, too) and has the loudest set of lungs (taking after BOTH parents there.) They named her Dawn Morning Stone (better than the 'Gem' Stone they were considering ….)

Shiv was in labour for only two hours, and for his sake, I'm glad (maybe for all us guys, too. It could be that male labour is shorter.) It was still pretty painful because he's so thin, but he held on and did it naturally, without a C-section. Good for him!

Virgil

* * *

I've told everyone on the lists that we aren't limited by having to just discuss our punishment experiences, so Yuki decided to come to us with a tough decision:

It's hard for me to talk about this at home, or with any other Soumas. I never know who might be giving me truthful responses. So I hope you don't mind if I talk 'out loud' here, and if anyone has any advice, please tell me.

My brother Ayame is possessed by the spirit of the Snake. We're actually the only siblings that are in the Juunishi. However, we're about as far from a brotherly relationship as we can get. I'll tell you more about our past so that you can understand, but I should warn you that there are disturbing parts to it.

Ayame and I are ten years apart in age. While I was growing up, he made a pointed effort to ignore me, even to the point of shunning me. We're both estranged from our parents now, and back then, home wasn't a happy place. My mother abused me. She only cared about appearances, being in high society, and how much Akito, the Head of the Souma family, was interested in me. I was too young to know how she and Ayame related to each other, but I suspect she'd already given up on controlling him. Ayame was and is like a force of nature – he does what he wants.

But what he didn't want back then was to have anything to do with me. He would watch our mother yank on my arm as I tried to cringe away from her in fear. When she began slapping me, he'd leave. If I approached him myself, reaching out a hand to grab his jacket, asking for his help, he'd jerk it from me and walk away without looking back.

He knew of the things Akito did to me. How he kept me locked up in a dark room, all alone. But my brother did nothing to help me. He never even acknowledged my existence.

Ayame was popular in high school. He had both Shigure and Hatori, but he was also admired by his fellow students. People who knew him then say I look just like he did, and that I'm following in his footsteps in popularity. Ayame ended up as student council president, and I'm being urged to do that, too. I try not to think about any of it.

The truth is that Ayame and I are nothing alike (except maybe for looks, and I can't do much about that.) He's flamboyant and over-the-top, full of confidence. He owns a clothing shop where he designs and sews everything that he sells. The clothes are all female designs, but some of them are fantasy clothes that are bought to be worn by MEN (nurse uniforms, etc.) I wince just thinking about it. Yes, I'm embarrassed by what he does for a living.

On the other hand, I'm reserved and quiet. I'm polite and nice to people, I think, and for some reason, I have admirers at school (A literal fan club. That embarrasses me, too.) Ayame wallowed in his popularity. I can't.

So we're nothing alike at all and he's never cared less about me. I got used to it and stopped caring myself. He was too weird for me, anyway.

However, lately Ayame started coming by more often. He and Shigure are close, so that's to be expected, but now he was trying to talk to me. He was trying to get me interested in what he does (I'm not) and he expected me to fall at his feet like his other admirers. I just wanted him to leave me alone. He's always been good at it before.

But he kept pushing. One day we were in the woods, and it was hot. Ayame's body doesn't react well to extreme temperatures (because of the snake spirit) and he ended up transforming. I stumbled backwards and caught my shirt on a twig, snagging and tearing it. The snake (my brother) told me that he had a sewing kit in his pocket to fix it with.

While I tried to fix my shirt and we waited for him to change back, he insisted on talking. I made the mistake of mentioning how the student-teacher conferences were coming up and that Shigure couldn't go – he had been summoned by Akito (Akito takes precedence over everything – there's no saying 'no' to him.) Kyo had Kazuma, our martial arts teacher and the man who raised him, going in for him. I would have to ask my mother. Ayame offered to go instead, but I refused. Not just because I was worried he would embarrass me, but I didn't want to be afraid to talk to my own mother.

He transformed back then and got dressed, then took my shirt and did a quicker job of fixing it than I was doing. But when he held it up, he proudly showed me that he had embroidered 'Property of the Older Brother' on the back of it! I was annoyed that he'd done that to my shirt without asking, but he said it was a promise to me – that I wasn't alone anymore.

I didn't appreciate the sentiment. How could I? Ayame had hurt me so many times in the past, I couldn't trust him.

My mother came to the parent-teacher conferences, but it was an ugly scene. She proceeded to tell my teacher that it had already been decided what college I would go to and what I'd be doing with my life (this was all news to me) and when I tried to say something she scolded me and said that in my whole life I'd never been able to think for myself, and if all I wanted was to be defiant that I should keep silent. My teacher got angry at that and tried to defend me, and Mother misunderstood – she really didn't think she'd been cruel. Right when I thought everything was going to fall completely apart, Ayame appeared. He'd brought roses for my teacher, of all things, and he ignored Mother when she began to sputter and lose her cool. I was amazed at how ineffectual she was at dealing with him. It was impressive, and I found myself feeling actually … grateful … that he'd shown up. And I told him so.

What I'm wondering now is this - would I be an idiot to open myself up to Ayame again? The pain of rejection, especially over years and years, doesn't go away easily, but I had managed to come to terms with it, or so I thought. Maybe it was just easier when I was hardly ever seeing Ayame around. But now he's showing up unexpectedly, and he always tries to talk to me when he does, even if he's at the house supposedly to see Shigure. If I say anything even remotely encouraging, he brings out his cell phone and immediately calls Hatori to joyfully report the news (see what I mean about his being weird?) The last time he did it, I noticed his phone has a little tag on it shaped like a rat (my spirit animal ….)

I'm confused and more than a little scared. I don't think I could stand having my heart broken again, and with Ayame being such an unpredictable flake, I just don't know whether it's worth the risk to give him a chance or not.

Yuki

* * *

After some encouragement, Yuki decided to go talk to his brother at his store. But he saw something he didn't expect:

I'm standing outside Ayame's store, but I'm not going in. To be honest, I already did _start_ to go in, but I stopped at the door. Across the room I saw Ayame, with his assistant (a sweet young woman who sews with him and models his clothes for the clientele.) She was sitting in a chair, wearing one of the costumes, and Ayame was kneeling on the floor, his head in her lap. I pulled back so they wouldn't see me, but I could hear them. My brother was crying. He said he had spent so many wasted years ruining our relationship that he feared he would never be able to make it up to me, and that I would never forgive him. She told him that I was still a child, and to give me time. He replied that all he wanted to do was be there for me, like he had never been before.

I couldn't just walk in on that, so I came back out here. I'm going to go home, but later I'm going to call Niisan (big brother) and invite him to come visit tomorrow afternoon. Kyo and Shigure both have plans, so it will be just the two of us. I'd like to show him my garden (that's my hobby - gardening.) I don't think he even knows I have one. I never thought about it much before, but I guess he and I _do_ have that in common. Our favorite hobbies both involve creating something with our own hands.

I don't know exactly what I'll say to him tomorrow. I don't really want to talk about those ugly incidents from our past, either. But I can at least tell him that I want to have him in my life from now on (even if he _is_ an effeminate, outrageous freak.)

Yuki

End of Part 134

No characters here are mine.


	35. Chapter 135

Robin's Diary - Part 135

By Haruka

This came from Shigure on the adults' list – I guess their cousin Ritsu is an interesting piece of work:

I had to exact some discipline on another Souma cousin in my home today, although it was a little different from the norm. But then, so is Ritsu.

As I've mentioned before, Ritsu is twenty and a university student, but he has absolutely no self-confidence and wears women's clothing because of it. He also panics easily (and forcefully) at the slightest hint that he might have caused any trouble (I can't totally blame him for this, his parents are the same way!) Sometimes we let it run its course, and sometimes I get weary of it and just poke him in the side, and that calms him right down (don't ask me why, but it always works!)

Anyway, tonight Ritsu was setting the table for dinner when he accidentally dropped a cup and it broke. There was a momentary pause, then the fit started.

"Oh-no-Shigure-niisan-I-broke-your-cup-I-can't-believe-I-did-something-so-terrible-after-you-took-me-into-your-home-this-is-truly-unforgiveable-I-deserve-to-be-severely-punished-for-being-so-clumsy—"

It was then I had a stroke of genius. "You know what?" I interrupted. "You're right, Ritchan! You _do_ deserve to be punished, and since this is my house, I'll have to be the one to do it."

He stopped rambling and turned his pretty tear-stained face toward me. "Y-You will?" he asked uncertainly.

"I certainly will," I told him and held out my hand toward him. "Give me your hand, Souma Ritsu."

Tentatively, he held out his hand. I took hold of it in my left hand, and with my right, I smacked the back of it.

It wasn't a hard slap – it probably didn't even tickle him. But that wasn't the point. His huge eyes stared into mine in disbelief.

"Now you've been punished," I told him. "We won't speak of it again. Finish serving dinner."

"Yes, Shigure-niisan," Ritsu said quietly, and went back to work. No more panic attack, no suicide attempts, just nice, calm compliance.

It probably seems ridiculous, and yet Ritsu is someone who feels guilty for anything and everything. We've all tried telling him that no one blames him as much as he thinks they do, but it just doesn't sink in. So if all it takes is a slap on the wrist now and then to cleanse his guilt, it's better than having him jump off my roof to make amends for minor discretions.

Shigure

* * *

Last night I had one of those brief, crappy moments where you're reminded that you're just a kid crimefighter and not the senior partner.

Batman and I were tracking a crony of the Scarecrow's, and while we were following him, I spotted another one, only he was going in a different direction. I told Batman about him and ran off in pursuit, not waiting to hear anything Batman might have had to say. Next thing I knew, something had wrapped around my entire body, binding my arms to my sides and bringing me down on the rooftop with a thud that drove the air from my lungs. It only took another moment to realize that I'd been trussed up by a Batarang on a line!

Batman came to stand over me. "Since when do you go rushing off heedlessly like that? Didn't I teach you to think first? Both men will take us where we want to go eventually – there's nothing smart about dividing our forces when one or the other might be leading us into a trap." Then he reached down and lifted me up and over his shoulder.

"Batman!" I cried. "Aren't you going to untie me?!"

"Later," he said. "Right now, I prefer knowing where you are."

He _did_ eventually untie me, once we got to the Scarecrow's hideout, but it was a bumpy and somewhat nauseating ride over his shoulder before we arrived (it would have served him right if I'd barfed on his cape.)

Robin

* * *

Nosedive tried to surprise Kurt with something, but it sort of backfired on him:

The things I do for love!

Kurt really wanted tickets to this concert at Bayville Arena for the Sour Cherry Bombs but it looked like the kind where you were going to have to sleep on the sidewalk to get them. He was all bummed out and sad, and I hate seeing my little Fuzzyblue bummed out and sad, so this past weekend, I decided to surprise him by getting the tickets. Of course, that meant that I had to sleep on the sidewalk, but that's okay, I was cool with it.

But, um, Wildwing wouldn't be. I weighed the options of asking first, but even when I considered asking all of the adults _except_ Wing, I was pretty sure all of them would say no way. Dilemma, dilemma. I had a choice – make my Elf happy again, and suffer the consequences, or watch him pout for the next week or two (while he's got an adorable pout, I'd rather see him smile.)

So I compromised and left it up to chance. Before leaving school on Friday, I wrote a note telling Wildwing exactly where I was going and what I was doing, and I put it into his box in the office. I didn't know if Wing would check his box before he left or not, so I had a fifty-fifty chance of having my plans squashed.

I hurried home and got what I'd need to spend the night outside, then rushed off to the Arena. There was already a line-up, but I just parked myself at the end and got comfy. Others came soon and before long there was a bunch of us and we were all chatting and getting to know each other and having a blast.

When three hours had gone by and no appearance by Wildwing, I figured he hadn't checked his box and I'd be in the clear. Naturally, I'd shut off my communicator. Yeah, I know, this would incite panic in my brother, but there was no other way. Still, I started getting those guilt pangs, so I asked the dude next to me if I could borrow the cell phone I'd seen him use earlier.

Wing was thrilled to hear from me and I apologized and told him I was fine, I just had plans for the evening and would be gone all night. He started to protest and I assured him that I was nowhere near Kurt, so he didn't have to worry about THAT sort of thing. I also said I'd be home by noon on Saturday. Then I hung up on him (well, all he was gonna say was more of the same – "You come home right NOW, Nosedive Flashblade, or I'll pluck you feather by feather!"

It was almost midnight and I was just getting comfy in my sleeping bag when someone nudged me none-too-gently with their foot. I looked up to see my big brother standing over me, looking ticked and imposing in the Mask of Drake DuCaine.

"You're coming home now," he said.

I started to open my bill and he clamped it shut with his hand. "Don't say it. Don't say anything. You're coming home if I have to drag you. Now get up."

"Aw, Wing!" I finally said. "I only need to stay here until the box office opens at ten in the morning –"

He crouched down and looked straight into my eyes. "If you don't want me to take you over my knee right here in front of this entire crowd, you'll shut up and come home with me now."

Since I'm foolhardy, but not stupid, I reluctantly obeyed.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you what happened at home, but I'll give you the Reader's Digest version anyway. Angry Big Brother brings Kid Brother home. Angry Big Brother wallops the crap outta Kid Brother. Kid Brother does a lot of howling.

Unfortunately, Angry Big Brother wasn't finished. He said that even if I somehow ended up getting tickets for that concert, I wasn't allowed to go.

Then the next afternoon came the biggest irony of all. The guy in line behind me (with the cell phone) found my home number still on it, and he got in touch with me to say that he'd bought extra tickets for me since I'd had to leave.

We got together at the mall and I paid him for the tickets, then gave them to Kurt Saturday night. I'd love to go with him, but I don't want to disobey Wing again so soon, so he'll have to find another date (hopefully someone not as cute as me.)

Now am I romantic or what? ;)

Nosedive

End of Part 135

No characters here are mine.


	36. Chapter 136

Robin's Diary - Part 136

By Haruka

I don't want to spoil this post by Shigure on the adults' list by giving any hints, so I'll just show it to you:

It's no secret that I like to play. It's the dog in me, I can't help it. Maybe it's also to add something to my life that being a Juunishi member could easily take away – fun.

I find fun wherever I can. Being a professional writer is fun, since it means I don't have to go out to some boring office; I can stay home in comfort and make my own schedule.

Having the other Juunishi members around is often fun. Yuki and Kyo are like their own little comedy team without even trying. Kyo starts trouble, Yuki responds with a clever put-down, and then the fighting begins. Even that can be good for a chuckle until the house starts breaking.

Ritsu can be a lot of fun when he goes off on his apology tangents, but even I can only take so much of that (poking him to stop it is amusing, though. The way he slithers to the ground is a riot!)

Having Hatsuharu and Momiji visit is always entertaining. Just watching Ha-kun head straight for Yuki to tug on the front of his shirt is so cute (although it's more fun when Hatsuharu turns 'black'!) Momiji is ever-cheerful and loves to enjoy himself as much as I do. You never know what our little rabbit is going to do next.

Ayame … what can I say about my beautiful blonde love? He's fun by virtue of his outrageous personality, and watching him shock Yuki with the things he says and does.

However, Hatori, my other love – he's no fun at all. Serious, serious, always serious. It's not all his fault. As the Souma family doctor, he can't help but be serious when dealing with illness (and especially with Akito, who is his most frequent patient.) However, Hatori was serious even as a kid, so I guess it's also just his personality. Why he cares at all for two flakes like Aya-san and myself, I have no idea. I suppose we need ONE grown-up in our trio to balance us.

I had a full house this afternoon. Yuki, Kyo, and Ritsu were all home, plus the others I mentioned had all dropped by – Hatsuharu, Momiji, and Ayame. Yuki was being polite but firm in refusing to wear a dress that Ayame had designed for him (yes, a dress. Yuki would never wear it, but Aya was persistent.) Momiji was singing, and Kyo was bonking him on the head to try and silence him (which only resulted in the predictable wail of 'Wahh! Kyo's hurting meeee!') Hatsuharu kept wandering in and out of the room – I think he was trying to find the bathroom. That boy has a terrible sense of direction. Ritsu was pouring me tea, like a good little hostess (um, host ….)

In the middle of all this came a wail to rival Momiji's, only this one was adult and female.

"Senseeeeiii! Your deadline! The chapters! You PROOOOMISED!"

The voice belonged to Mitchan, my editor. Which brings me to my most favoured, most fun activity of all: Finding different ways to avoid giving her my latest work, even if I have it completed. Really, it takes a lot of imagination to keep coming up with new ideas so that she doesn't catch on right away. It's a game to me, and watching her agonize over whether or not I've truly met my deadline is just irresistible.

Ritsu made a move as if to go open the door for her, but I caught his kimono by the sleeve. "Ah, Mitchan!" I called out. "Was it TODAY that those chapters were due?"

I heard a sob on the other side of the door. "YEEEESSS! Sensei, you KNEW this! We talked about it on the phone only yesterday!"

"Did we?" I grinned. "Goodness me, I guess I'd better try to find what I've done so far and see if it's complete enough to submit!"

"COMPLETE ENOUGH?! WAHHHH!"

I giggled softly and Ayame shook his head and smiled at me. "You're bad, Gure-san!"

"I know," I said proudly and sipped my tea.

A few minutes went by where all we could hear outside was sobbing and indiscernible mumblings, but then another familiar voice came and a muffled conversation took place.

"That's Tori-san!" Ayame said happily.

The door opened and Hatori walked in, half-carrying a tearful Mitchan into the house. "This woman was writing a suicide note to her parents on your front porch, Shigure," he said.

"Again?" I sighed wearily. "Really, Mitchan, you really must stop being so melodramatic over little things."

She gasped and straightened up. "Getting your work done on time is NOT a little thing, Sensei!"

"I have to agree, Shigure," Hatori remarked, accepting a cup of tea from Ritsu. "You should try to be a little more responsible."

I put a hand to my chest and managed to look like the hurt puppy I was. "Ha-san, I'm wounded! I'm supporting myself and three boys here, how can you call me irresponsible?"

Hatori nodded toward Mitchan. "The way you torture this poor woman makes me say it. She's on your side, you know, although I have to wonder why she persists."

"He is so cruel to me," Mitchan sniffled, wiping her eyes. "Making promises he doesn't keep, making me come all the way out here for nothing. What kind of adult does such a thing?"

"The kind who sets a bad example for the young people he lives with," Hatori said, giving me a sideways glance.

I heaved an exaggerated sigh and got to my feet. "Very well, I shall go and look for those chapters right now. They must be around here _someplace_ …."

Mitchan gave a pitiful little whimper and I tried to hold in my giggles until I'd left the room.

I went to my office and picked up a brown envelope of the sort I usually use for my manuscript chapters. I glanced around and chose a magazine, stuffing it inside.

"Here we are, Mitchan!" I announced and handed over the envelope. She looked so happy, I almost felt guilty. But not enough to let her off the hook.

"Oh, THANK you, Sensei! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Mitchan blubbered as she opened the envelope and pulled out the contents. Her face fell. "This … this is just a dirty magaziiiiine!" she cried, tears spewing out on both sides, threatening to drown us all.

"Pervert dog," Kyo muttered and Yuki nodded agreement.

"Is THAT what's in there?" I asked in feigned innocence.

"YEEESSSSS!" Mitchan's tears intensified.

I didn't notice that Hatori's frown had been deepening throughout this exchange until finally he took hold of my bicep and began taking me out of the room.

"We'll get you the chapters," he told Mitchan over his shoulder. "Even if he has to write them from scratch and complete them in the next fifteen minutes."

He brought me to my office. "Shigure, do you have those chapters finished?"

"Yes," I said lightly, winking at him. "I'll give them to her soon – when I'm through having fun."

"You'll do it now," he said firmly. "Kyo and Yuki might be used to seeing this shameful behaviour from you, but I don't want Momiji getting any ideas."

I wagged a finger at him. "Ha-san, I don't tell you how to take temperatures. Don't tell me how to submit chapters."

A glint came into Hatori's one visible eye. "Then I'll teach you common courtesy instead."

Here's where things stopped being fun and became downright bizarre (not to mention painful!) Hatori pushed the door shut, pulled me over to the couch, sat down, and yanked me over his lap!

"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed.

"Exactly what you deserve." He flipped up my kimono and whacked my backside – hard!

I didn't even get a chance to pathetically beg for mercy. Hatori's spanking rhythm was steady, firm, and decidedly no-nonsense. He has a real talent for it, unfortunately for me! I tried to struggle, but couldn't get leverage and besides, he was holding me too solidly. All I could do was kick my feet like a child and howl like, well, a dog!

It seemed to go on a very long time and maybe it did - all I know was that my bottom was blazing with pain by the time he let me get up.

"Owwwww!" I whined as I tried to rub the burning out. I managed a watery grin. "Ha-san, you haven't lost your skill since we were seventeen!"

"You've been overdue," he replied, and lit up a cigarette. "Now get the chapters and give them to that poor woman like you should have done in the first place."

What could I do? I obeyed.

There was complete silence when I went back to the main room with the chapters and handed them to Mitchan, and I just KNEW they'd all heard what happened. Mitchan didn't even check the new envelope – she just accepted it, then glanced past me and bowed. Hatori had entered behind me.

He gave her an answering nod, then she turned back to me. "I'll contact you soon about the next chapters, Sensei," she said, and left.

I heard a snicker from Kyo, but wasn't about to allow a conversation about what happened to start up. "Ritchan!" I said to my cross-dressing cousin. "Would you bring a fresh pot of tea, please?"

He hurried out of the room and Hatori headed for the door. "Come on, Haru, Momiji, Ayame. It's time we were going home."

"Okay, Ha'ri!" Momiji said and started to follow. He paused, then came over to put a hand on my shoulder just as I was trying to ease myself onto a cushion. "You'll be all right by tomorrow, Shii-chan. Ha'ri spanks hard, but you always get over it."

That was too much for Kyo, who burst out laughing at my expense, and even Yuki covered his mouth and tried to hide his mirth. Ayame just looked sympathetic (he's probably been through this himself!) I sighed and tried to maintain what little dignity I had left by giving Hatori a pleading look.

"Maybe next time I do something you don't like, Ha-san, you could just smack my nose with a rolled-up newspaper?"

"Be a good dog and neither of us will have to worry about it," he said calmly.

Easier said than done, I'm afraid! But at least now I know to make sure that Mitchan and Hatori are never both in my house at the same time! ;)

Shigure

End of Part 136

No characters here are mine.


	37. Chapter 137

Robin's Diary - Part 137

By Haruka

The Soumas' house is getting crowded! Kyo posted this – it includes an introduction that was made on the adults' list:

Four more family members moved into Shigure's house today, bringing the total of us living here to eight! I got hold of Shigure, Hatori and Ayame's post on the adults' list, so here's the sordid, depressing tale:

Hello, my name is Hatori Souma. Shigure says you already know of me from his own stories (I was the one who spanked him.)

Shigure: Yes, and it hurt.

Hatori: You deserved it.

Shigure: Well, what else is new? I've always deserved it.

Hatori: This is true. Anyway, I'd also like to introduce Ayame Souma, our cousin and … third, if you will.

Ayame: Hi hi! Yes, I'm Ayame, representing the Snake of the Juunishi (Tori-san is the Dragon, although his form manifests as a cute little seahorse!) Yuki-kun is my ototou (little brother) and I believe you all know him from Shigure.

Shigure: Yes, Aya-san, they know Yuki – I told them about how I spanked him recently.

Ayame: You spanked my sweet little brother?! Gure-san, how _could_ you?!

Hatori: Ayame, I told you what happened and why Shigure did it. Yuki and Kyo both deserved what they got.

Ayame: Hmmph. Well, I suppose I blocked it out because the idea of it was just too horrible.

Hatori: We're moving in with Shigure to help him with the kids, remember? Especially as Hatsuharu and Momiji are moving in as well. Now, are you going to be a help or a hindrance?

Ayame: A help. And I want to get closer to Yuki-kun. I want to be a good big brother to him.

Shigure: You will be, Aya-san. But part of that is discipline.

Hatori: Lord, the blind are leading the blind now. Anyway, I have experience as disciplinarian to various Souma children, so if you two just pay attention you might learn something. And if you can't do that, at least don't interfere, understand?

Shigure/Ayame: Yes, Tori-san.

Hatori: Good. Just to let you all know, Shigure, Ayame and I are all the same age (27) and have been inseparable most of our lives.

Ayame: They called us the Flowery Gigolo Trio in high school!

Hatori: That was a LONG time ago. Thank God. Now then, you all know of how Yuki and Kyo (both 16), and Ritsu (20) already live here, but now Hatsuharu and Momiji (both 15) are moving in. I asked their parents if it would be all right – I just feel they're safer here than near the main house and Akito. Momiji is the Rabbit, and he's always bright and cheerful (although he's 15, he acts more like he's 12, but when he gets serious, he's more mature than any of them.) But he also is impulsive, and I've had to spank him more than once for getting into mischief. Hatsuharu is the Ox, and he is usually placid, calm, and a good listener. If he's angered, though, then 'Black Haru' comes out and he can be uncontrollable. I've never had to spank White Haru, but Black Haru has felt the flat of my hand many times. Hatsuharu has a special affection for Yuki, and it's good to know he'll be here to watch out for him.

Shigure: Zzzz ….

Ayame: Hee hee!

Hatori: *sigh* Why do I feel like I'll be caring for six children instead of four?

Shigure: Aw, I was just teasing you! But let's all shut up now and let these people get on with their lives, shall we? There are pictures of everyone in the Files if you want to see them!

Ayame: I'm worth looking at! ;) Bye bye!

* * *

Unquote. If you think that Hatori sounds like he knows what he's doing, unfortunately he does. As he said, both Momiji and Haru can vouch for that. I'm sure _I'll_ be able to vouch for it myself before long, I just don't have any luck that way. Yuki doesn't care about Hatori being here - he's just flipping out because Ayame has moved in, too (their relationship as brothers is still shaky at best, and Yuki still gets embarrassed by Ayame's behaviour. Can't blame him for that - the guy IS embarrassing!)

And now we've got Haru and Momiji around all the time! Haru's _mostly_ okay, except when he goes 'Black' and then all he wants to do is fight. Momiji just gives me a headache. There's such a thing as being TOO cheerful!

Funny how no one asked Ritsu how he feels about keeping house for four extra people. But then no one would think to.

Kyo

End of Part 137

**Don't forget to review for the author to see! After all, Haruka does like to read her own story.**


	38. Chapter 138

Robin's Diary - Part 138

By Haruka

Today we heard from the two younger new additions to Shigure's household:

Hi everyone! I'm Momiji Souma, and I'm up past my bedtime, but had to sneak out and borrow the computer just to say my hellos. ;)

Today Hatsuharu and I moved into Shi-chan's (Shigure's) house, along with Ha'ri (Hatori) and Ayame. Yuki, Kyo, and Ritchan are here already, as you know, and I think it's going to be a LOT of fun!

I'm 15 years old, and so is Haru, but most people think I'm a lot younger, because I'm kind of small and I still like to play like a kid. :) I also have my own sense of clothing style, most of which comes from me being half-German, half-Japanese. In school, we all have to wear uniforms. I wear a boy's version of the girl's uniform (shorts instead of the skirt, but the same top.) I could have worn the boys' uniform, but I know what looks best on me, and I don't think it much matters who the clothes were intended for (no, I'm not a crossdresser like Ritchan - he does it because he's afraid to be a man. I just wear whatever looks best on me. :D)

I'm the Rabbit of the Juunishi. I'm one of the Juunishi kids whose mother rejected him. Mutti (Mother) asked Ha'ri to erase her memory of me, which he did. Mutti and my father have another child now - a little girl named Momo. So I'm a big brother! But ... I can't tell Momo about being her brother. I can only watch over her from afar. My father loves me - when Mutti had her memory of me erased, he said he'd love me enough for them both, and he has. That's one reason why he's allowing me to live with Shi-chan - he wants to protect me from Akito. Akito doesn't like me very much. Sometimes it's hard to tell whether it's worse to be disliked by Akito, like me or Kyo, or one of his favorites, like Yuki.

A couple of hobbies of mine are collecting anything bunny-related (I love my spirit animal, what can I say? :D) and playing the violin. Finding new games and making new friends to play them with is always great, too!

Uh oh, someone's coming! Oh phew, it's only Ritchan! At least he won't tell on me. Poor Ritsu is stuck in the middle here - an adult, but not really seen as one by the 'trio', and too old to be one of the kids, like us. We all love him, though, even if he throws funny apology fits sometimes.

He's telling me that Ha'ri is still up, so I'd better get to bed if I want to avoid a spanking. Since that's always the best option, I'm off, quick like a bunny! ;)

Momiji

* * *

My name is Hatsuharu Souma and I'm 15 years old. I'm the Ox of the Juunishi. This has affected my life in several ways. Of course I have the same issues as the others – if I'm hugged by a member of the opposite sex, I transform. Fortunately, I very rarely get sick, so I don't have to worry about transforming from weakness of the body.

One problem I have had all my life is my two-toned hair. It's black and white, like my animal form. Some people think it's cool, some think it's weird. I don't much care what others think as long as they're not causing me too much hassle. If that happens, the other two-toned aspect of my life kicks in. Most of the time I'm 'White Haru', but when I'm angered, I become 'Black Haru', and he is not as nice or tolerant of people. As Black Haru, I once pulled my pants down to prove to the annoying student council president that my hair colour was natural. I also once trashed a classroom and broke all the window (my ex-girlfriend, Rin, also a Juunishi member, had just broken up with me.) Hatori has had to spank Black Haru often. Sometimes it's the only thing that brings White Haru back.

My relationships. Well, Momiji, Kyo, and I all grew up more or less together. Kyo is my favorite sparring partner in martial arts (Kazuma, the man who raised him, trained all of us.) Although Yuki was our age as well, he was more isolated, and couldn't hang out with us that much. His mother gave him to Akito as a playmate when he was a child, and he lived for nearly 10 years in the main house. He wasn't kept completely away from others, like Kureno (the Rooster), but he still wasn't a frequently active member of our group. However, Yuki _is_ responsible for changing my life.

As a child, I was ridiculed a lot for my hair and for being the Ox, who was used by the Rat and was thought of as stupid as a result. I always resented Yuki for that, even though I'd never actually talked to him. Then one day I did – I yelled at him, accusing him of being the sneaky Rat that used the Ox and made everyone call me stupid. Yuki turned to face me (he was just a child, but so pretty, like an angel) and asked, "Is it true? Are you stupid?" I stopped and realized I hadn't really thought about it. "No," I said. And he smiled. In that moment it occurred to me that I'd done to Yuki what everyone else had done to me – I assumed he was sneaky and conniving like the Rat, just like people had assumed I was stupid like the Ox. And it wasn't true, any of it. At that moment, Yuki really _was_ an angel for me. He changed my entire outlook on life, and from then on, I vowed to always watch out for him. When I grew up and saw how things were going for him in the main house with Akito, I went to Sensei (you know him as Shigure) and asked him to let Yuki move in with him. He agreed, but on the condition that I always call him Sensei (it has several meanings, but in this case was a term of high respect.) I agreed, and Yuki was able to leave the main house.

I'm one of the rare Juunishi who has a good relationship with both my parents and am not abused by Akito. He has never hurt me personally, but of course it still hurts me to see him torment the others I love. I probably could have stayed at home, and not moved in with Sensei and the others here, but I would have been lonely – all my best friends are here now.

Like Momiji, I'm an individual so far as style. I _do_ wear the boys' school uniform, but I wear a lot of jewelry – earrings, chains, bracelets (not girl stuff, cool stuff.) I have a tattoo as well, on my upper left bicep.

I hope that between Momiji and myself, we can keep Yuki and Kyo from doing each other in now that they have to share a room. It should be an interesting challenge, but Kyo had better watch his step, because I can't let him hurt Yuki.

Hatsuharu

End of Part 138

No characters here are mine.

**Reviews are always good!**


	39. Chapter 139

Robin's Diary - Part 139

By Haruka

This came from the adults' list. I think it might be a first – guardians in the same household disagreeing about punishment:

This is a fine situation we have here tonight! You know how I said I would spank the boys if they broke my house while fighting? Well, Yuki just hurled Kyo into a wall, embedding him in it. After we pulled him out, Kyo accused Yuki of attacking _him_ first, something that usually doesn't happen. Yuki admitted that he was provoked by something Kyo said on the kids' list about short-sheeting his bed (which he hadn't actually DONE yet.) So it was pretty obvious that Yuki was in the wrong here and was solely responsible for the Kyo-shaped indentation in the wall.

Hatori hadn't returned from a call to the main house, but that didn't matter - I could handle this myself. I told Yuki that I would spank him for damaging the wall (oh, and Kyo, too), and what response did I receive?

"You will NOT!"

This didn't come from Yuki, but from Ayame! We argued about it, and I finally said, "Aya-san, you knew that I had started spanking the children, and in particular I promised them that punishment if they damaged the house."

"I know that, and I'm in favour of spanking," Ayame said. "Just not for Yuki."

I think we have a problem here. I don't want to fight with Ayame about this, so I guess I have no choice but to let it go until Hatori gets home and then HE can be the deciding vote (and I think we all know which way that will go.) However, it's late enough now that the children, including Yuki, have gone to bed, anyway!

It's going to be an interesting morning, I think.

Shigure

* * *

Yuki posted this in the morning:

For a while, I thought I might actually get away without being spanked for breaking the wall (with Kyo) last night. Ayame was being stubborn in his determination to keep me from being spanked, and while I may have issues with my brother, this was one time I was silently rooting for him. I even went to bed and left them to debate it, hoping that Shigure would forget about it all by morning.

He didn't. When I came in the main room, they were still at it, only now all the others were there watching.

"If this is a vote, I vote Yuki not be spanked," Hatsuharu said.

"This is NOT a vote," Shigure told him. "I'm the adult –"

"Since when?" Kyo remarked.

"Since you started eating my food," Shigure replied.

Ayame's yellow eyes flashed. "Well, _I'm_ an adult, too –"

Kyo snorted. "Since when?"

"Keep that up and we might end up spanking YOU instead, Kyo," Hatori said, then turned to my brother. "Ayame, you have to be reasonable."

"I'll be out in the garden. Let me know when you've reached a decision," I said, and headed out back.

I love tending my garden, it's my favorite hobby, and this time I needed it to calm my nerves. Although I didn't appear uneasy on the surface, I was uncomfortable not only with the idea of being spanked again (who wouldn't be?) but now everyone in the house seemed to be in on the discussion or at least witness to it, and I'm a private person. I didn't want to be the focus of attention in this matter.

While I was yanking a weed, a shadow fell over me. I shielded my eyes and looked up to see Shigure. He was alone.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Come with me, Yuki-kun," he said, and started walking toward the woods that borders our property.

I stood up, pulled off my gardening gloves, and followed him.

After a couple of minutes of silence, I said, "I gather you won the vote?"

"Ha-san is still trying to reason with Aya-san," Shigure replied, stopping and turning to face me. "So while they were debating, I figured I'd just take care of things on my own. It's still my house, and I laid down one very simple rule, which you broke. Don't you think in these circumstances, punishment is justified?"

I frowned. "I suppose. That doesn't mean I have to like it."

Shigure laughed. "I would worry about you if you did, Yuki-kun. Come on." He put an arm around my shoulders and guided me toward a fallen tree, where he seated himself. "We're alone and you're being punished for an unprovoked attack that did property damage. I think you should be bare for this spanking."

"WHAT?!" I cried, my voice level reaching something akin to a squeak (which I suppose one could consider appropriate for a rat.) "Shigure, no!"

He shrugged. "I know last time you weren't bare, and maybe you won't be next time. However, _this_ time, I feel it's warranted. Pants and underwear down." He cocked his head and grinned. "Unless you'd rather keep arguing about it and wait for them to come looking for us …?"

"All right, all right," I muttered and began unfastening my pants. I felt like the world's biggest fool as I bared my backside in the middle of the woods and Shigure took me over his lap.

He may be new and inexperienced at this, but Shigure is good enough at spanking to make it hurt, both physically and mentally. Just being half-naked and feeling his hand come down on my bottom over and over made me feel humiliated and on the verge of tears. I'm not a crier – if I was, I would have spent most of my life in tears – but something about this situation brought it out. I _knew_ that I'd attacked Kyo for no good reason, and that wasn't my style at all. He's always the one who attacks first. I had just been in a bad mood, and had taken it out on him when I found out about his wanting to short-sheet my bed from the list. That was no excuse for my behaviour. I also felt badly that I'd been the cause of trouble between Shigure and Ayame, who really adore each other (for some reason ….)

While I was still face-down and close to the ground, a little furry face appeared in front of mine. A field mouse.

("He is hurting you,") I heard it say in my mind. ("Should we stop him?")

Oh, it was tempting. I knew without looking that there were now dozens of mice and rats surrounding us, worrying about me and ready to defend me. It's always this way with our spirit animals when we're upset.

"No," I managed to say through gritted teeth. "Let him … OUCH! … finish."

Fortunately, that ending wasn't long in coming and Shigure helped me up. I got dressed, noticing that there weren't just dozens of rodents around, but hundreds. My distress must have brought them from all over the forest and the fields beyond. To give Shigure credit, he was ignoring them (or pretending to) very well.

"I hope you understand why I did that, Yuki-kun," he said, looking just a little bit like he needed reassurance himself. It probably took a lot of guts for him to go ahead and do this on his own, especially since my brother would probably make his life miserable for a while.

"Yes, I do," I told him, wiping my eyes and smiling just a little. "Maybe you _do_ know how to be an adult once in a while."

He grinned, then finally looked at all the rodents around us and began to sweat. "Um, could you call off your little bodyguards?"

I thanked them and sent them away. Shigure looked relieved.

Once back at the house, I headed straight to the bathroom to soak in a tub for a while, but on the way I ran into Kyo and apologized for reacting so violently over nothing. The stunned look on his face almost made it worth the entire ordeal.

Yuki

End of Part 139

No characters here are mine.


	40. Chapter 140

Robin's Diary - Part 140

By Haruka

Ritsu posted this on the adults' list with the header, 'Monkey in the Middle.' Probably one of the most apt titles ever used, considering:

Konban wa and forgive me for intruding! My name is Ritsu Souma, and I'm told you've met the adult members of my family with whom I live. I'm 20 years old and I'm the Monkey of the Juunishi. Shigure insisted I write this story myself, or I would never bother you good people. Did I say I'm sorry for bothering you? I am! Very VERY sorry! I must also apologize to my family for not using their honorifics each time in this tale because I'm told it might be confusing for you, although it feels very disrespectful for me not to do so. I'm sorry, my family!

This evening, Shigure and Hatori had to go see Akito at the main house. Ayame was still working at his store. Hatori said that meant _I_ was in charge at home!

"B-But Hatori-niisan!" I gasped. "I can't be in charge!"

"You're the eldest one after the three of us, Ritsu," he said reasonably. "You're the logical choice. We've already told the kids we have to go out and have let them know you're the official adult on duty. They'll behave for you."

Shigure glanced toward Hatori with an amused expression. "Whose kids are you talking about? Surely not the ones who live _here_?"

Hatori gave Shigure a push toward the door. "Don't listen to him. We'll only be gone a couple of hours. You know where to reach us if there's an emergency."

Shigure looked back over his shoulder as he was herded along. "Remember, Ritchan, you're representing us while we're gone, so you have ultimate authority to do anything you deem necessary as the man –," he paused, realizing that I was dressed in my usual furisode (female's kimono) and hairstyle, "um, woman … um … _adult_ of the house!"

"A-All right, Shigure-niisan," I said uncertainly.

Hatori sighed and came back over to me, putting his hands on my shoulders. "Ritsu, I know you lack confidence in yourself, but Shigure and I both believe that you're fully capable of handling this."

I nodded, trying to look more self-assured (something that's nearly impossible for me.) I was glad that they thought I was up to the challenge, but I couldn't help having reservations.

They finally left, and I decided to make some tea. While I was in the kitchen, I could hear the beautiful melody of Momiji's violin coming from he and Hatsuharu's room. I'm ashamed to say I was relieved, because while I adore Momiji and his cheerful personality, he is constantly getting into mischief. But if he was playing his violin, that meant it was one down, three to go.

The problem was that I didn't know where the other three were or what they were up to. But once I'd finished making the tea, I at least had an excuse to go looking for them.

First I brought some to Momiji, nodding to him as I set his cup down. He grinned and kept playing (making it hard for me to pull myself away. He has so much talent!)

After I left with my tea tray, I stood in the hallway and wondered where I might find Hatsuharu. The question was answered for me when I heard a shout from further down the hall.

"You're going to pay for that, koneko-chan!"

It sounded sort of like Hatsuharu, only rougher. And he could only be talking to Kyo, because 'koneko-chan' was the same thing as calling him a harmless little kitten. Not a compliment from Kyo's perspective. I hurried down the hall.

I found them both in Kyo and Yuki's room. Yuki was there as well, looking aggravated.

"There's no reason for you to defend my honour, Hatsuharu," he snapped. "I can take care of myself, especially with THIS guy!" He jerked his chin toward Kyo, who shot him a glare.

"Don't be so sure, you hermaphrodite!" Kyo yelled at him.

"Now you've gone TOO far, insulting my Yuki like that!" Hatsuharu snarled, and then I finally got a good look at his face. His usual serene expression was missing and there was a wild look in his eyes. I was seeing someone I had only heard about before: Black Haru.

"Oh dear," I murmured and put the tea tray down. However, I had no idea what to do next! Black Haru and Kyo were facing each other now, fists at the ready, with Yuki shaking his head in disgust with both of them. I didn't think I could expect any help from him in diffusing the fight that was about to occur. Kyo wouldn't listen to him, and Black Haru was just blowing Yuki a kiss and winking; he wouldn't give up, either. It was up to me.

Which meant there was no hope at all.

I had to try, though. Hatori and Shigure were counting on me. "Please," I said, trying to get between them, "don't fight. I brought tea –"

"Tea sounds great, pretty little Monkey Face," Black Haru replied, tugging on a lock of my hair teasingly. "But first I have to teach this Cat some manners."

"Ha!" Kyo retorted. "The day you can teach me ANYTHING will be the day I kiss that Rat's ass!"

"Pucker up, pussycat!" Black Haru declared and lunged for him. Unfortunately, I was still blocking the way, so I ended up getting knocked aside. I lost my balance and my elbow clipped the tea tray, flipping the pot of scalding water and cups into the air.

Kyo saw it happen and his eyes widened. "Ritsu!" he yelled, but couldn't say anything else because Black Haru was too intent on pummeling him.

It happened so fast. One moment I was huddled on the floor covering my head, expecting all that hot water and china to come down on top of me, and the next I was flying across the room, landing a few feet away with Yuki on top of me. He'd risked himself to save me. I heard the crash as everything hit the floor safely away from us.

"Oh, thank you, Yuki-san!" I cried, feeling tears flow down my face.

"I'm sorry about this," he said grimly as he helped me up. "I should have tried to get Haru out of the room when I realized he would probably turn Black."

"But I've heard nothing can stop him when he's like this," I said, wincing as we watched he and Kyo brawl. They were pretty evenly matched, but aside from the already-broken tea service, they were knocking into the furniture and sending everything atop the desks and end tables to the floor. One of them might go through a wall at any moment, and how would I explain such a thing happening to the adults? It was bad enough having to explain what had happened already!

"Stop it!" I begged. "Please, stop!"

Kyo at least seemed to hear me. He grabbed Black in a headlock. "That's enough, idiot!" he stated. "Ritsu nearly got hurt because of you, and he's telling you to knock it off now!"

"Never!" Black Haru declared. "You insulted Yuki and for that you have to pay!" He flipped Kyo over his shoulder into the desk. The mirror behind it cracked from the impact.

I'm not sure what it was that came over me. Maybe it was the growing destruction in the room or the fact that someone was bound to get seriously hurt if this went on much longer. Maybe it was because Momiji was peeking in the door investigating the crashes, or maybe I was just plain horrified at how I could let such behaviour go on while I was supposed to be in charge. In any case, I knew I had to do _something_. I pulled away from Yuki (who was trying to shield me from the fallout) and headed straight for Black Haru, who laughed nastily as Kyo extricated himself from the desk.

"Hatsuharu-kun!" I said firmly. "You MUST stop this right now!"

He gave me a leer. "Relax, pretty little Monkey Face, I'm almost done with him."

"You're done NOW!" I insisted, then grabbing him by the shoulder, I held fast and began delivering a series of whacks to his backside, one for each word as I commanded, "You-will-stop-this-right-now-and-I-MEAN-it!"

I felt a hand on my own shoulder and realized that Yuki was by my side. He motioned toward Black Haru, and I saw then that his expression had changed. His eyes were no longer wild, but rather were shocked.

"Haru?" Momiji queried, venturing further into the room.

Hatsuharu turned slowly to face us. He was Black Haru no more. I took a step or two backwards and felt my resolve leaving me as more familiar feelings took over.

"I'm sor—" I began to stammer, but Hatsuharu put a finger over my lips.

"No, don't say it, Ritchan," he told me. "Don't you dare apologize. I'm the one who owes you the apology, for nearly getting you hurt."

"Him?!" Kyo exclaimed. "What about ME?! The guy you tried to kill a few moments ago?!"

"You're still alive, aren't you?" Haru said to him calmly. "Don't whine – it's unmanly."

"Why, you -!" Kyo started, but Yuki gave him a dangerous look.

"I think we should ALL get to work putting this room back in order and cleaning it up before Hatori comes home, what do you think?"

That sobered all of us and we worked steadily until we had cleaned up the mess and fixed as much damage as we could. When Hatori and Shigure did return, I nervously explained what happened. At first, they didn't believe me.

"Tell us again," Shigure said, staring at me. "You say you SPANKED Black Haru?"

"Yes," I said meekly, wringing my hands. I didn't apologize, although I really wanted to, because Haru had told me not to. I was expecting a scolding, though, for going overboard and abusing my position in their absence.

"And after that White Haru came back and you all cleaned up the mess?" Hatori asked.

"That's right," I admitted.

The two of them exchanged a glance, then Shigure turned away, covering his mouth like he was trying not to laugh. "I'll go check on the boys," he said, quickly scampering off. I was watching him go and so was startled when I felt Hatori embrace me.

"I'm very proud of you, Ritsu," he said, pulling back to face me. "You did a good job."

I smiled and blushed. "Thank you, Hatori-niisan."

"I'm HOOOOME!" Ayame announced as he came in with his usual flourish. "Did I miss anything?"

It was my great pleasure to hear Hatori repeat the story for Ayame-niisan (who is my idol) and to receive his compliments, even if I'm still not sure I deserved them. I'm happy that no one was seriously hurt, Hatsuharu was so understanding, and no one was angry with me. However, I'm not sure I'm suited to being one of the adults around here – it's awfully hard on the nerves!

Ritsu

End of Part 140

No characters here are mine.


	41. Chapter 141

Robin's Diary - Part 141

By Haruka

Scott posted this story about what happened when he and Jean deliberately disobeyed the adults of the Xavier Institute:

The clothing store chain that hired Jean and I as models was approached by a well-known perfume company. They had seen our ads and wanted to see about using us in commercials for their new fragrance. Since we were under contract to the clothing company, they would make it a joint venture – we appear in the perfume commercials, but we wear the store's clothing in them.

We were told that the final step was that the perfume company executives wanted to meet us in person at a club party in New York City, and if they liked us, they'd set the deal up on the spot. We were kind of excited, and when we told the Institute adults about it all, we didn't think there would be any problem. Wrong.

"No," Logan said.

"'No' what?" Jean asked in confusion.

"No, you aren't gonna be selling perfume in any commercials," he replied firmly. "I've seen the kind of commercials and print ads that company puts out – it's all sex oriented and the kids in 'em are crawling all over each other half-naked. You aren't doing it."

"Logan, we'll be wearing clothes for sure," I said. "We're advertising the clothing line at the same time as the perfume, so we HAVE to be dressed."

"Yeah, but in WHAT? Your clothing company sells underwear, too, y'know, and that might be all they have in mind!"

"Logan's right," Mystique said, giving us an apologetic look. "All their past commercials have revolved around beautiful kids feeling each other up in front of the camera. I don't think it's a good idea for you."

"But the clothing company wants us to do it," Jean pointed out. "If we don't, they might drop us."

"I'm sorry, but I have to agree with Logan and Mystique," Professor Xavier told us, while Ororo and Hank nodded. "You've paid your debt to Remy, Scott. It might be time to stop modeling and get back to your normal lives, anyway."

Part of me knew that he was right – I never got into this job for the glamour – but the money was _very_ nice and I have to admit, it had given me a lot more confidence than I had before. Besides, I knew Jean was enjoying it, and I was certainly liked spending all the extra time with her. We weren't very happy campers when we left the Library and went upstairs.

"Jean," I said slowly as we climbed, "how badly do you want to do this?"

"Well," she said thoughtfully, "I would have at least liked to have met with the executives and found out for sure what they expected of us. Maybe it wouldn't be like Logan said at all."

"Same here," I admitted. "So how about we do something about it?"

We pretended to go to bed at the usual time, but in actuality we stayed awake, waiting until all the adults were asleep as well. Then Jean used her telepathic power to send them into a deeper sleep, so they wouldn't wake up as we were sneaking out. She couldn't dare try this on the Professor, though, so we had to take our chances with him, but we were mostly worried about Logan and his sensitive nose and ears, anyway.

As soon as the job was done, we used our transporter to take us first to Canada, then back to New York City (we couldn't just hop to NYC first – it's less than 100 miles from Bayville.) We were going to be late to the party, but better late than never.

Our clothing company reps were thrilled to finally see us, and they introduced us to the perfume company executives, who were all quite nice even though we'd kept them waiting. We had been there for about fifteen minutes, and were about to start going over the plans they had for the perfume launch when a sudden change came over the atmosphere in the room. People fell silent and were moving aside, like they were clearing a path. We turned around to find Logan striding over to us, and the look on his face was scary at best.

"You two are coming home with me NOW," he snarled.

"L-Logan," Jean began, "we only wanted to talk to –"

"I don't care what you wanted, Red," he snapped. "You were told 'no' and you disobeyed us." He turned toward the clothing company reps whom he had met before. "They're not doing the perfume gig. And that's final."

Things went downhill from there. They argued that we were under contract, Logan said he didn't care. They said they would sue, Logan popped his claws. Just like that, our contract was dropped like a hot potato.

Logan took both of us by an arm and began hauling us out of there while our former employers yelled after us that they wanted all their clothing and accessories returned and they'd be accounting for every piece (including the underwear? I wondered.)

"Logan, let go of us!" I cried at one point. "You're making a scene!"

"This ain't half the scene I'd be making if I took you over my knee right here in this club," he told me, giving me a sideways look. "But I'm willing to go that route if you want me to."

I decided to keep my mouth shut.

He hauled us outside and used his own transporter to take the three of us home. Mystique was there in the foyer, pacing, arms folded. She looked worried until she saw us, then she looked ticked off.

"I can't believe the two of you pulled such a stunt!" she hissed, trying to keep her voice down so she didn't wake everyone in the house. She faced Jean. "YOU, young lady, have a lot of nerve using your power on Logan like that! I had to pinch his mouth and nose shut to force him into consciousness!"

"How come it -?" Jean started to ask, then faltered, biting her lip.

"How come it didn't work on me?" Mystique asked for her. "You seem to have forgotten that since the time I was enhanced, Jean, you can no longer force your way into my mind."

We looked at each other sheepishly. We HAD forgotten that.

"I told Chuck we would deal with this ourselves – he'll talk to you in the morning," Logan said, grabbing my arm again. "So you're coming with me, Scott, and Jean is going with Mystique. We'll take care of your punishment down here so that we won't wake everyone up."

Gee, what a cheery sentiment THAT was.

Mystique took hold of Jean and veered her off toward the living room while Logan pulled me in the opposite direction, toward the Library.

"Stupid, childish, impulsive," he was muttering as we walked. "You KNOW better than this, Scott! You deliberately disobeyed us and ran off to New York City in the middle of the night to a club that sells alcohol, for crying out loud!"

"We weren't drinking –" I began.

"I don't care!" he interrupted. "I care that you came to us about that perfume thing like you actually intended to respect our decision then turned around and went behind our backs!" He pushed me into the Library and shut the door. "That alone proves to me you aren't mature enough to get involved in anything like that. Get the designer pants down, kid, and lose the underwear, too."

I nervously unfastened my pants while he sat down on the sofa. I was glad he wasn't taking off his belt, but I didn't like that he was seated. "Logan," I said uneasily, "you aren't going to –"

"Spank you over my knee? Damn straight I am." He met my eyes. "You behaved completely like an immature brat and this is no more than you deserve."

"But … I'm a lot bigger than you are …."

"Yeah, and I'm a lot stronger than YOU are. I can keep you in place, Slim, no worries about that. Now get over here."

I moved unhappily to his side and finished the job of baring my backside, then let him draw me down into position across his lap. God, it felt awkward! I could touch the carpet on both sides with hands and feet – I could even put my palms flat on the ground! But when I felt that adamantium band that was Logan's arm wrap around my waist, I knew I wasn't going anywhere.

The spanking itself is best left without much detail. It was harsh, loud, and painful, and covered both my butt, the undercurve and my thighs. During it I couldn't help thinking about Jean and what she must have been going through with Mystique. Just the idea of that would have been enough to get me crying, even if my own shame hadn't already started it.

About a lifetime or two later, Logan's metal-boned hand stopped torturing my searing red backside and I felt him rub my back. "Okay, Slim, you can get up."

He helped me – he sort of had to, because I wasn't doing too well on my own. After I was dressed, he looked at my wet face and sighed.

"Damn it, kid," he muttered, and cupped my cheek, rubbing the moisture away with his thumb. "I hope someday you'll understand that we weren't just being mean about this. We really didn't think it was good for you or Jean."

"It's n-not just about not getting to do the commercials, Logan," I sniffled, wishing I didn't sound so soggy. "It's about not even getting the chance to talk to them – to see if there was a way to tone it down so that everyone could be happy."

Logan smiled and shook his head. "Still a Pollyanna after all. You'll see what I mean later."

He was right. This morning Jean and I did some research on the perfume company and their past ads and discovered that their stuff was REALLY raunchy and not really our style at all. It's one thing to gain a little bit more confidence, but an entirely other matter to nearly have sex on camera. Neither of us would have been comfortable with that at all.

It's kind of sad that we lost our jobs over it, but we never wanted to be career models, anyway. I'm going to lead the X-Men and take over the Institute someday, and Jean wants to study medicine (particularly genetics.)

Jean told me that she had gotten pretty much the same from Mystique that I did from Logan, and the Professor gave us a good long talking-to this afternoon. At least when it was over, we were able to genuinely say we were sorry, and thank he and the others for looking out for our best interests.

Scott

End of Part 141

No characters here are mine.


	42. Chapter 142

Robin's Diary - Part 142

By Haruka

A few days ago, we Teen Titans decided to go to Burger Fool for a snack (Virgil knows Burger Fool well – he worked in one of the Dakota branches.) This was a first for us, though, since we usually go to the pizza place instead, but we decided to try something different. Dumb idea.

After we got our food and sat down, three familiar faces came in the door. It was Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth, our enemies from Hive Academy. They didn't see us right away because our booth was hidden by some plastic plants on a divider. Beast Boy and Cyborg decided to have some fun and while they were giving their order, they started pelting them with salt and pepper packets, but only one at a time, so they could duck in between throwing them. The girls and I knew this was a bad idea, but try and tell BB and Cy anything when they're in a playful mood. Next thing we knew, Mammoth's huge face was suddenly glaring down at us from over the divider. Before he could kill any of us, Beast Boy blew a handful of pepper into his face and he started sneezing – it blew Starfire right out of her seat!

Jinx and Gizmo were there in a second and to make a long story short, let's just say that the restaurant cleared out fast of both customers and staff to make room for all of us to do battle.

Things like tables, the condiment counter, and parts of the floor and ceiling were getting broken in the dining area, unfortunately, and a chunk had been taken out of the bathroom wall, courtesy of Cyborg's sonic cannon, when the store manager came in the front door (I guess someone had called him in because he wasn't there before.) He got in between us (brave man!) and demanded not only an end to the damage, but compensation from our respective groups. The Hive kids just laughed and took off, leaving we Teen Titans to take all the responsibility ourselves.

Cyborg quickly assured him that he could repair the damage and he'd get started right away, but the manager said that wasn't good enough – we'd frightened away all his customers and even his staff had run for the hills. He said that while Cyborg was fixing everything, the rest of us could darn well take the place of his staff for the day. This suggestion was not met with enthusiasm, but we really didn't have much choice if we wanted to avoid having Justice League called in or something. So we agreed.

We got a quick rundown of how things worked and the manager said he would oversee us to make sure we did everything correctly. That was great and all, but there were still inherent problems. First of all, who would take what position? With Cyborg working on the dining area, that left drive-thru, front cash and food preparation. What we quickly established was that Starfire and I would have to take both cashes – Beast Boy was personable, but anytime someone ordered something with meat in it, he'd accuse them of being animal murderers or something. No good. And we all know that Raven's people skills are non-existent. So that left Star and I to deal with the people. And if you think this means we had the easier jobs, take this into consideration – we two were forced to wear the Burger Fool hats. Virgil remembers these, I'm sure – big, idiotic-looking court jester-type hats. No, I'm not kidding. Even beautiful Starfire couldn't make these things look good, we looked like … well, burger fools.

Things got off to a rocky start as customers started slowly returning. Neither of us knew the cash registers and Starfire had a little trouble figuring out the buttons on her drive-thru headset, but with the manager's guidance, we got the hang of it okay. We could hear Raven and Beast Boy arguing behind us as they made the food according to the manager's instructions (most of it was Beast Boy saying how disgusting hamburgers were and Raven telling him to shut up before she crammed it up his nose.) I _know_ I saw Cyborg snickering a few times, but I'm not sure if it was at those two or at me in the stupid hat.

We were there all day, and by the time it was over, we were all exhausted and irritable, but at least we'd dealt with our own mess without any grown-ups getting involved. Oh, and we found out from an overheard conversation the next day that Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth all got paddled by their Headmistress at Hive Academy for having the fight with us (and losing.)

End of Part 142

No characters here are mine.

**Poor Jinx! I love her but anyways don't forget to review for the author.**


	43. Chapter 143

Robin's Diary - Part 143

By Haruka

Mystique posted this on the adults' list. Thank goodness the injuries Kurt and Scott received weren't worse:

We had a dangerous situation at the Institute here today, and we adults didn't find out about it until it was nearly too late.

Scott, as the eldest is allowed to run higher-level Danger Room sequences for himself, but even he has limits that we set for him. Being the responsible young man that he is, Scott has never exceeded those limits (or so I'm told - I haven't been here as long as the others.)

Today Scott was giving Kurt some special, private instruction in the Danger Room. It was good training for both of them - in Kurt's case, if he passed the tests, he'd be able to take his own level up a notch. And it was good experience for Scott for that day when he will be an adult instructor. There was no adult supervision today, because we trust Scott to handle things.

However, during the practice session/lesson, the level on the computer was turned up. Not just one notch, but several – passing even the allowed limit for Scott himself.

Next thing the two boys knew, they were literally fighting for their lives. The level they were at was equivilent to a mild session Logan would choose for himself. Of course, Logan would heal just about any injury he might receive - the boys wouldn't.

In the midst of their battle, Kurt was tagged by a laser and lost consciousness. By the time he awakened, Scott was nowhere near him (he was trying to draw the weapons' fire away from Kurt, so he was on the other side of the room.) Kurt teleported to the control room and tried to shut down the computer, but he didn't have the override code - Scott did. And he couldn't get close to Scott, who had his eyebeams in overdrive just trying to stave off the incessant, deadly attacks. So Kurt did the next best thing and teleported to the garage, where Logan was working on his motorcycle. After a quick explanation, Kurt teleported Logan to the Danger Room control area and Logan was able to shut down the program.

Thank God neither of the boys were killed or permanently injured, although Scott needed stitches for a slice to his calf from a flying sawblade and Kurt has some painful burns from the laser. I'll admit, I was in prime 'mother hen' mode - I guess there's something about knowing the kids you love could have been killed that freaks you out like nothing else. And I didn't even have to couple it with being angry with them, because it wasn't THEIR fault.

Unfortunately, finding out whose fault it was didn't help me feel any better. Logan was able to pick up St. John's scent around the control panel, and there was no other reason for Pyro to be anywhere near it.

Logan was ready to go tear him a new one, but I insisted he let me handle it. There's still no one whom John responds to the way he does me (except maybe for Erik, but he wasn't an option this time), so I went looking for him.

I found him showing off for Rogue in the living room by roasting marshmallows between his fingers.

"Rogue," I said, "leave us. John and I need to talk."

My daughter glanced from me to John and clicked her tongue. "Yer in trouble, boyo," she remarked. "She's more purple than blue in the face."

"Your backside will be purple, young lady, if you don't leave _now_," I told her. She wisely made herself scarce, and I glared down at John, who calmly clicked his lighter and gazed up at me with those big brown eyes of his.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked.

Talk about a loaded question. "You know damn well that you did," I replied. "But I want to know why."

He shrugged and looked down at the lighter. "I dunno."

I held onto my temper by a thread. "St. John Allerdyce, you WILL give me straight answers or by God, I'll –"

"It was just a joke!" he said.

I looked at him skeptically. "A joke that happened to include Kurt, whom you're not too fond of?"

He snorted and flicked his lighter again. "Cyclops was in there with him. They were okay."

I'll admit, I lost it a little then. I grabbed him by the back of the hair and yanked his head back so that he'd have to look up and face me. "They were NOT okay! Both of them got hurt, and they could have been KILLED!" I released him and he rubbed his head, wincing. "You know the rules about messing with the computer, John, and even if this WAS a joke, I have to make sure it never happens again. Go to your room."

John's eyes widened and I think he finally realized that I meant business. But it didn't help, because he did the worst thing he could. He shook his head. "No way."

"You're refusing to go to your room?" I asked evenly. "I warn you, you'd better think carefully about your answer."

He licked his lips nervously. He'd even stopped flicking the lighter. "I know what'll happen if I go up there."

"Refusing to do so won't stop it from happening, John," I assured him. "It'll only change the location of the inevitable."

"I don't believe that," he said, shaking his head again. "You won't do that to me in a public place."

I caught his chin and locked eyes with him. "Try me."

We held each other's gaze for a few moments before he finally stood up and went upstairs. I could only assume he went to his room (he's got attitude, but he's not TOTALLY stupid) and I left him there for fifteen minutes while I tried to calm myself down. I was going to spank him – oh yeah, no doubt about that – but the instrument of choice was still a question.

When I finally went to his room, I was holding my hairbrush. I had seriously considered both the belt and even the switch, but just like my temper, John's trust held on a thread and there was only so far I could go that he would allow. Maybe I was wrong, I still don't know, but this was the only choice I felt good about.

Thankfully, he WAS there. His eyes went straight to the hairbrush and he gave me a weak, crooked grin. "You can take a little off the top, but leave the sides alone."

I didn't laugh. I sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at him expectantly. He sighed and said something I won't repeat.

"You want your mouth washed out on top of this?" I asked, and my tone wasn't friendly. "Come on, let's do this."

He frowned. "I'd rather not …."

"I'm sure you WOULD, but you don't have a choice. Either you bare your backside and lay over my lap or I bare it for you and force you over my lap. Either way, you end up in the same position, but the first option might save you a lot of extra pain."

As I said, John's not totally stupid. He didn't give me anymore lip, just stood up and took down his pants and underwear, then got into `position.'

I wield a mean hairbrush, and I managed to draw a cry of pain from my little smartmouth right off the bat. Kurt's usually my noisy spanking recipient, but this time, I made sure that John _couldn't_ be quiet. Every whack sounded (and must have felt) sharp and crisp and left bright red blotches on his bare skin. And even that sound was nearly drowned out by his cries of, "OUCH!" "OWW!" and the ever-popular, "AHHH!", all of which were soon accompanied by sobbing. Eventually, I even had him begging for mercy, which is definitely NOT John's style. I gave him a final two cracks on the thighs after that, then put the brush aside and loosened my hold on him.

John immediately dragged himself off my knees, but remained on all fours on the floor, his shoulders shaking. I went down on my knees beside him, and wrapped my arm around him.

"Why do you have to be such a hard case, John?" I asked softly. "I love you, and you know it, but I can't let you do stuff that will get others hurt."

"Yeah. I know," he murmured. He turned his head and I saw his face – red, tearstained, and earnest. "I didn't really think about it when I did it. I just realized they were in there and … I did it. I won't do it again."

I noticed he didn't say he was sorry, but this wasn't Kurt, this was John. This was the best he could do. Maybe not every adult in his life could accept that, but he and I understand each other, and this was enough for me.

Mystique

End of Part 143

No characters here are mine.


	44. Chapter 144

Robin's Diary - Part 144

By Haruka

Kurt wrote this because Nosedive just couldn't sit down to do it:

Nosedive confronted St. John in the mall today about what he did to me and Scott, and the two of them got into a fight. The only good thing I can say about it is that no powers came into play (not that Dive has any, but we know John does!) I wasn't there, but Dive says he figures the only reason he got lucky at first was because he threw the first punch and John didn't expect it. He dropped his lighter.

Someone called the security guards and the two of them were separated. That was when one of the guards picked up John's lighter and flicked it on, just to see if it worked, I guess. Both John and Nosedive looked toward the flame, then at each other. Dive says that if Ducks could sweat, he'd have broken one then, because John could have roasted him on the spot. But for some reason, John just smirked and held out his hand for the lighter. When it was given to him, he pocketed it. Both boys were then taken to the mall office, where they were made to call home.

Nosedive says that Wildwing got there first, which wasn't good, because it meant that John could tell him that Dive started the fight. Then Logan showed up, and John repeated the whole thing (which, according to Dive, sounded worse the second time around. Maybe because Wing was hearing it twice.)

Anyway, Wildwing lectured Nosedive all the way home, but Dive, cute as he may be, can be stubborn, too. He insisted that John deserved it and that he only wishes he'd broken his nose. Wildwing pulled the Duckcycle to the curb and looked over his shoulder at his brother, who was riding behind him.

"Did John have his lighter?" he asked.

"Uh, in the very beginning, before I hit him," Dive admitted. "And again at the end, after the guards pulled us apart."

"But he didn't use it?" Wing prompted.

"No," Dive said slowly. "What are you getting at?"

"You attacked a kid who could have killed you, and even after you did that and he was armed with what is a deadly weapon in his hands, he didn't use it." Wing shook his head. "John was punished by Mystique for what he did to Kurt and Scott. YOU were the only one at fault today, Dive. John was the one showing restraint."

Dive thought about it as they road the rest of the way in silence, and he admitted to himself that his brother was right, but he still couldn't bring himself to tell Wing. Besides, restraint or not, John HAD nearly killed me, and he couldn't forgive him for that, so he couldn't be sorry for punching him.

Dive was spanked as soon as Wing got him home. Sixteen whacks, bare-butt, over-the-knee. He wasn't a happy Duck, and still feels sorry that Wing is disappointed in him. However, whether John deserved to get punched out or not will be one area where Dive says they'll have to agree to disagree.

Kurt

* * *

Logan added this to the story on the adults' list:

On our way home from the mall, John looked over at me and asked point-blank, "Are you going to spank me when we get back to the Institute? Because if you are, just stop right here and let me out. I'm not going back."

We _do_ have an open-door policy at the Institute, so I couldn't just say, "Oh, yes, you are!" Instead, I told him the truth.

"I ain't gonna spank you, kid. He threw the first punch and you defended yourself. Case closed." I gave him a sideways glance. "I'm surprised you didn't fry him, though."

John shrugged. "I could have. One of the guards ignited my lighter after they separated us. I'd dropped it when the Duck hit me."

I was surprised, but kept it out of my voice, "So why didn't you use it?"

"It would have caused more problems than it was worth. The way things were, he was the one at fault and I wasn't. To use my power would bring real cops into it, and that would freak out Mystique." He gave me a wry grin. "I'm still sore from last night. I can't take anymore of that hairbrush so soon."

So there you go. Spankings _do_ deter even the most stubborn children.

Logan

End of Part 144

No characters here are mine.


	45. Chapter 145

Robin's Diary - Part 145

By Haruka

Mystique wrote this on the adults' list, and Kurt re-posted it:

Don't tell me I don't know how to handle kids (or at least save my sanity!) This morning before breakfast, it was like every kid woke up on the wrong side of the bed. They were getting ready for the Danger Room session, and were bickering with each other non-stop, but I noticed something about it. Certain people seemed to be ticking each other off more. Kurt and Rogue were sniping at each other, and so were Jean and Kitty, and John kept antagonizing Scott, who actually lost his cool and yelled at him, which made Logan yell at BOTH of them.

As you can imagine, all this stupid arguing and picking fights made the Danger Room session a disaster, which, of course, the kids blamed each other for. Rogue said Kurt's timing was off, Kurt said Rogue wasn't paying attention. Scott claimed John messed up on purpose to make him look bad and John stated that Scott's instructions hadn't been clear. Kitty accused Jean of acting too soon and throwing her timing off, and Jean retorted that if Kitty concentrated on the session instead of showing off for the boys, her timing would have been fine. Then they all started arguing with their accusers.

Logan looked about ready to break out the Six-Kid Spanking Machine (which, alas, we don't have, anyway) when I interrupted and made an announcement.

"Okay, listen up, all of you!" I shouted. "Here's how the rest of the day is going to go. Since there seems to be a problem with getting along today, I'm going to assign 'buddies' to each of you. From this minute until tomorrow, you are hereby allowed to speak ONLY to that person, with the exception of adults who address you directly. I'll write notes to your teachers when we get to school." I looked around the group of them. "Cyclops, your buddy is Shadowcat. Jean, yours is Rogue. Nightcrawler, you're paired with Pyro." I held up my hand when six mouths opened to either protest or ask questions. "No, don't speak to me directly unless I speak to you first. If you feel you MUST address me or another adult, you'll have to relay a message through your buddy. Oh," I added, "and in case you think I'm not serious, anyone caught speaking to someone OTHER than their buddy today will be grounded for the weekend in their room, where they won't have ANYONE to talk to. Am I clear?"

"Uh, Mysti," Logan said, "Pyro doesn't go to Hero High."

"Then neither will Kurt today," I replied. "They can have their lessons with the Professor together."

Once the kids had hit the showers, Logan told me I had to be insane to pair Kurt and John at all, but there was a method to my madness.

Breakfast was pretty quiet from a noisy-kid perspective. Kitty and Scott didn't have any problems with each other, but Rogue and Jean have never been chummy, and of course, you all know about John's animosity for Kurt. But with no one else to talk to, I hoped at least one of those two groups might be forced to get along.

It wasn't to be at breakfast, but Scott _did_ ask Kitty to ask Jean if she wanted to go to the beach with him on the weekend, and Jean asked Rogue to tell Scott yes, so at least THAT worked so far (although I should be glad that Rogue didn't tell Scott 'no', since she's long had a crush on him, which is one reason she doesn't like Jean much.)

I _did_ pass the word on to the teachers at school, and they played along, which was nice of them. They assured me that they weren't seeing the kids speak to anyone but their buddies, and Jean and Rogue were spotted here and there talking politely. I called Charles at one point and asked him how things were going at home. He said that he had made sure during the tutoring session that if either boy had anything to say, they had to go through each other. It meant neither of them said much, but at the times they had to, they followed the rules, albeit grudgingly.

Meanwhile, at school, I saw a great thing at lunch. Rogue and Jean were sitting together, and they were talking animatedly and laughing. I couldn't remember the last time I saw those two looking like friends, if ever. Scott and Kitty were together, too, and I saw them staring at Jean and Rogue, so I guess they were as surprised as I was.

I was anxious to know how things went at home that afternoon, since everyone was getting along at school. When I got back to the mansion, I was met at the door by Charles, which worried me. As a psychic, he knew this right away.

"No, Mystique, don't worry. Come with me."

I followed him out back, and dropped my briefcase

Kurt and John were playing in the pool together.

"They've been there for half an hour now," Charles said. "The two of them disappeared upstairs for a while before this, and I was a little concerned because they were gone so long, but since I didn't feel any animosity, I left them alone."

I asked Kurt about it later, and he admitted that he and John hadn't exactly felt friendly at first, but then Kurt found one of John's manuscripts in his room and began reading it. He was surprised to discover he liked it, so he mentioned it to John. At first, John was annoyed that Kurt had opened his private notebook, but when he realized Kurt was trying to give him a compliment and was genuinely interested in hearing about his writing, things changed. John let his defenses down and answered Kurt's questions.

Kurt is a very earnest kid, who wears his heart on his sleeve, so someone can usually tell if he's being honest or not, and I guess it's hard for anyone to resist someone telling them they admire their talent. So despite whatever hang-ups John may still have about me, he has apparently decided not to blame Kurt anymore. He even apologized for the Danger Room incident from last week, and you can imagine how happy that makes me.

Rogue and Jean must have continued to get along all right because the two of them didn't come straight home from school – they went to the mall together. I don't think any of them even remember who they were fighting with this morning before school.

Logan still thinks I'm insane, but now he also thinks I'm lucky, too.

Mystique

End of Part 145

No characters here are mine.


	46. Chapter 146

Robin's Diary - Part 146

By Haruka

After the Justice League meeting on Saturday, Superman came back here with Batman and I. The three of us spent the day hanging out, it was nice. But later that night, after we'd played a game of Scrabble (Alfred played with us – he won) Bruce told me it was time for bed.

I was kind of bummed at that. Not only was I going to miss my night of patrolling with Batman, it was because I KNEW he and Kal were dying to sneak off to Bruce's room together. Yeah, I know grown-ups need their private time and all, but I felt kind of shut out for some reason.

Anyway, I changed into pajamas, but didn't got to bed right away. Instead, I spied on them just long enough to see them go into Bruce's room, saying something (in low, chuckling voices) about sharing a shower. There's a connecting bathroom to Bruce's room, and there's another one on mine. I listened at Bruce's bedroom door and heard them go into the bathroom.

When the door shut, I slipped over and listened until I heard the shower go on. Then I hurried back to my own bathroom.

It was one of those things where you knew what you were going to do was a bad idea but you just couldn't resist doing it. I counted to three and turned on the hot water in my sink full blast.

I heard them both yell and figured they were probably scrambling to get out of the shower, so I turned off the water for a couple of minutes. I didn't know if they'd gone back in or not, but decided there was one way to find out. I turned the hot water back on.

The second unison yell was my reward. In fact, I was so busy laughing that I didn't notice anyone in the room with me until my shoulder was tapped. I looked up to see Alfred quirking an eyebrow at me.

"Um, hi!" I said sheepishly.

"I think you have had your fun, Master Richard," he replied significantly.

"Right," I agreed, since I didn't have any choice. "Are you going to tell on me?"

"No, I fail to see the need." He made a twirling motion with his hand and I groaned. I turned around and bent over, while he took hold of my shoulder. I didn't see him pick anything up – maybe he was already hiding it behind him when he first stopped me – but the *WHAP* I felt was not just from a hand. It was from something flat, hard, and stinging.

He walloped me only five times, but it was enough to give me a good burn in my seat, especially through the thin pajama bottoms. When he allowed me to stand upright and I turned around (rubbing my backside), I saw that he was putting down the wooden bathbrush from my tub. Ouch!

"Straight to bed, young sir," he instructed.

"Yes, Alfred," I replied. "Thanks for not telling."

Bruce and Kal may have suspected something, but neither of them came to ask about it. I'll bet they didn't attempt a third shower, though.

* * *

I guess now you can call me a bad influence. Here's Bart to tell why:

I really liked the trick that Robin played on Batman and Superman, so I decided to try it on Max this morning. He gets up before I do, usually, so I had to set my alarm clock in order to wake up first and catch him as he was going in for his morning shower. Sure enough, boring, predictable Max went in right on schedule. I listened at the door for him to turn the shower on, then I sped into the kitchen.

After waiting a second or two (which seemed like a lifetime to me!) I turned the hot water on. I heard Max shout in the bathroom and stifled my laughter, then turned the tap off again. I gave him just long enough to get back under the spray (I hoped!) and then I turned the tap again. Max shouted a word he won't let ME say, and it occurred to me that if turning the hot water on freezes his shower, then turning the cold one on would warm him up fast, so I switched from one to the other, barely holding back my snickers.

But there was one big problem with my execution of Robin's idea. Batman doesn't have any powers, and while Superman may be faster than a speeding bullet, he's not faster than Max Mercury.

Who, incidentally, tapped me on the shoulder while I still had my hands on the taps.

"Baaa~AAART!" he growled, his voice rising the longer he dragged out my name. I turned to look up at him, pressing back against the counter. He actually had smoke coming out of his ears (or maybe I just pictured him that way. Either way, it fit.)

"Heh heh," I said, smiling sweetly. "Can't you take a little joke, Max?"

Seeing as in the next nanosecond, I was face down and bare-bottomed across his lap, I decided his answer was 'no.'

I hollered my protests all the way through as his big heavy hand came down again and again, beating my poor defenseless backside. Because my accelerated healing started up right away, Max spanked me a lot faster and longer than he probably would have spanked a normal kid (well, maybe. You never know with him.) And healing or not, it grifing HURT while he was doing it!

"MAAAAAX, cut it OUUUT!" I cried, and by then I really WAS crying. I was kicking and struggling but I didn't dare try vibrating through his lap to escape - he'd have killed me later for it.

Finally, he stood me up and met my accusing gaze with a bad imitation of my earlier question, "What's the matter, Bart? Can't you take a little spanking?"

"THAT wasn't little!" I grumbled as I got dressed, wishing that superfast healing would hurry up and do its work.

"I don't know where you learned that particular trick, but I advise you to UNlearn it right now," Max said. "You can hurt someone by startling them in the shower like that, not to mention that scalding water can burn someone." He hugged me and sighed wearily (something he does a LOT.) "Just try to think before you try something new like that - not every idea you hear from another kid is a good idea."

I know he's right and all that, but it's hard to be serious when I picture Batman and Superman tearing outta their shower as Robin got them with the same gag!

Bart

* * *

I guess the gag reel was on a roll – here's Bart with another one:

For some reason, Eel O'Brian, aka Plastic Man, REALLY doesn't like me. And this was BEFORE he got tied up in knots trying to chase me around. So I imagine he was pretty leery when he found out I was going to be in one of his Saturday classes this morning.

I was still keyed up from reading about Pietro's fun time with the Hulk, so I decided to try a gag of my own on ol' PM. I asked all the other kids to hide in the empty classroom across the hall, then I got busy making scouts (you know - those duplicates of myself that I can create.) I made enough to fill every desk!

You should have seen Plastic Man's face when he walked in and saw not one Impulse, but thirty! His jaw hit the ground (literally!), then he started screaming.

Um, he sorta was still screaming when Hawkgirl and Green Lantern came to cart him away. I don't think he's gonna be teaching for a while ...

Bart

* * *

I'm kind of glad to end this diary with a hilarious Impulse story. Yep, these chronicles are over. I decided to delete our list where we were all talking, from which these stories came. I'm growing and changing, and I'd like to hope that I can get through the rest of my teenage years without the need for a list like ours, where we all got spanked so much that we racked up a total of 56925 messages in a year and a half!

Well, I can hope, anyway! ;)

Robin

The End of Robin's Diary

**Boo hoo it's so sad! It's over! Don't forget to give reviews to the author and check out Haruka's other stuff at her websites!**


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